Industry Link – Winter 2023

THE MAGAZINE FOR THE UK NUCLEAR INDUSTRY

WINTER / 2023

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MP’s appetite for new nuclear

The successful A trip six SMRs to Sellafield

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Nuclear Week in Parliament review

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WELCOME TO

IN THIS ISSUE••• NEWS FROM THE HUB.

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elcome to the final Industry Link of 2023! As the year draws to a close, we reflect in this winter edition on what has been anther busy year across the nuclear sector, and we look ahead to what we hope will be a fruitful 2024. One thing is for certain, the industry is going from strength to strength.

We often talk about this being a decade of delivery, and for that we need the two things: government to green light new projects and of course the people to deliver it. This issue covers both strands, starting with Great British Nuclear on the six vendors shortlisted for the SMR down-selection.

But let’s not forget GW-scale stations which, as NIA CEO Tom Greatrex writes, must play a vital role in our clean energy ramp up. Several western countries have already launched major new nuclear programmes with a mix of small and large scale stations, and Tom’s piece outlines how the UK can do the same.

Politically, we’re in for an eventful 12 months, summed up by the NIA’s Jon Woodburn and Lincoln Hill who share their thoughts on what the politicians are thinking with an election looming, and Cavendish Consulting’s Olivia White digs even deeper in her piece measuring MP appetite for new nuclear.

And then there’s the brilliant people who makes our industry one of the very best, some of whom we’ve been lucky to catch up with recently on industry trips to Finland, Torness and Sellafield, the latter is summed up by NIA Policy Analyst Lauren Rowe, and the NIA membership team reflect on a busy period for everyone involved in the NIA Business Groups.

It’s the people who make this sector tick, but if those in power make the right decisions then the sky’s the limit for our sector. I hope you enjoy the issue!

Iolo James Head of Media & Communications, Editor

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Key programme of work at the LLWR PAGE 20

BUSINESS GROUP ROUNDUP

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DRONE COURSE HELPS MAKE SELLAFIELD SAFER

Editor - Iolo James Art Editor - Dan Powney Press & Advertisement Enquiries - press@niauk.org Membership Enquiries - membership@niauk.org Contributors - Tom Greatrex • Lincoln Hill • Jon Woodburn • Lauren Rowe • Stephanie McKenna • Alex Buckley • Ella Ashdown • Great British Nuclear • Kristina Drake, NWS • Olivia White, Cavendish Consulting • Jon Mattos, ECITB • Dr Rob Lock, AWE • with additional thanks to World Nuclear News Nuclear Industry Association is a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 2804518 Registered Office - 5th Floor, Tower House, 10 Southampton Street, London WC2E 7HA TEL +44(0)20 7766 6640 EMAIL info@niauk.org Cover image - The NIA team at Sellafield This magazine is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, using vegetable based inks.

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NUCLEAR INDUSTRY ON SHOW AT PARTY CONFERENCES

GREAT BRITISH NUCLEAR

The successful six SMRs Six successful companies selected to progress in government nuclear technology competition

SUCCESSFUL SMR SELECTIONS

In October this year, designs of the next generation of nuclear reactors were selected to move forward within a government competition.

The government’s ambition is for up to a quarter of electricity to come from nuclear power by 2050, and the Small Modular Reactor competition is part of its plan to adopt a programmatic approach to delivering nuclear power. The aim is for the UK to lead the global race to develop cutting-edge technologies to deliver cleaner, cheaper energy and greater energy security.

Unlike conventional nuclear reactors that are built on site, SMRs are smaller, can be made in factories, and could transform how power stations are built by making construction faster and less expensive.

The six selected designs are considered by GBN and the government to be the most able to deliver operational SMRs by the mid-2030s. These are: EDF, GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy International LLC, Holtec Britain Limited, NuScale Power, Rolls-Royce SMR, and Westinghouse Electric Company UK Limited.

These companies will be invited to participate in the next stage of the process. The ambition is to announce in Spring 2024 which of the six the Government will support, with contracts awarded by Summer 2024. These technologies will be offered an unprecedented level of support to accelerate their technologies and be ready to pursue a project through to construction and operations as soon as possible.

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In the next stage of the process, the chosen companies will be able to bid for contracts with the government.

Selecting technologies that offer confidence in being able to make a Final Investment Decision in 2029, and being operational in the mid-2030s, has been a key government objective.

A consultation is due to launch at the end of this year, to determine how other nuclear technologies could come to market in the UK. This may include some of the technologies that were not chosen through the Small Modular Reactor competition.

If you would like to keep up to date with the work of Great British Nuclear, visit: gov.uk/government/ organisations/great-british-nuclear.

Read on to find out what each company has to say about their technologies. For more information on the individual technologies, visit their websites.

EDF EDF’s Nuward is an SMR plant with two independent reactors. EDF say these are housed in a single nuclear building and introduce a balanced approach to using technologies and innovations to boost constructability, operational competitiveness, and environmental performance.

GE-Hitachi The technology proposed by GE Hitachi is the BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor. GE Hitachi says its SMRs are powered by proven and commercially available fuel and has an innovative and simplified build. This results in less steel and concrete for construction.

It offers 300 MW of carbon-free power, worldclass safety, and can be used for electricity generation and industrial applications. This includes hydrogen production, desalination, and district heating.

Holtec The design proposed by Holtec Britain is the Holtec International SMR-160+. The company says it has been created to provide an inherently safe and secure SMR based on proven pressurised water reactor technology consistent with UK supply chain.

An SMR-160+ will produce 300 MW of electricity (net) and can operate using either a water-cooled condenser, or an air-cooled condenser for waterchallenged areas.

NuScale Power The offering from NuScale enables a multi-module plant design, which the company says means a power plant utilizing NuScale’s SMR technology can produce reliable clean electricity while allocating one or more modules for applications like hydrogen production or water desalination.

NuScale Power Modules are fully factory fabricated with no in-field construction. This keeps costs low, consistent, and predictable; and makes power plants using NuScale technology less expensive to build, operate and maintain.

NuScale’s SMR technology holds key advantages in design maturity, regulatory approval and supply chain development, which can accelerate the timeline for reaching the UK’s goal of deploying up to 24 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity.

Rolls-Royce SMR The Rolls-Royce SMR uses proven Pressurised Water Reactor technology and standard fuel, currently operating in many reactors globally.

Designed and built in the UK, their SMR power station would have the capacity to generate 470MWe of low-carbon electricity, enough to power a million homes for 60+ years. Rolls-Royce say their SMR is low-cost, deliverable and scalable.

Westinghouse Westinghouse says its AP300 Small Modular Reactor is advanced, proven and readily deployable. It offers a cleaner energy mix, energy security, and grid flexibility and stabilisation. The AP300 has a smaller safety related footprint, which aims to reduce construction, as well as operational and maintenance costs.

“TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT IS A KEY STEP FORWARD IN DELIVERING THE GOVERNMENT’S OBJECTIVE OF BOOSTING NUCLEAR POWER IN THIS COUNTRY. OUR PRIORITY IN THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN TO PRIORITISE RELIABLE AND SUSTAINABLE POWER TO THE GRID EARLY, AND THAT’S WHY WE HAVE FOCUSED OUR FIRST STEP ON THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE VIEWED AS MOST LIKELY TO MEET THE OBJECTIVE OF A FINAL INVESTMENT DECISION IN 2029.”

▲G wen Parry-Jones at the Roadmaps to New Nuclear Conference.

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TOM GREATREX • CHIEF EXECUTIVE • NIA

Britain needs more largescale nuclear reactors We have never needed nuclear power more than we need it now. Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, believes that, alongside building the next generation of small reactor technology, we must not forget the stalwarts of clean power generation: large-scale nuclear reactors.

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he United Kingdom is currently grappling with the challenge of cutting emissions and freeing ourselves from global gas markets, all while cutting bills and creating good jobs across the country. Nuclear has answers to all these challenges. Our power stations have generated more clean electricity than any other source in this country’s history. Every year, nuclear prevents us from importing billions of cubic metres of gas at ruinous prices, and nuclear sites and their supply chains are the bedrock of communities in every corner of Britain, driving investment and creating jobs for the places that need them the most.

The launch of Great British Nuclear’s (GBN) small modular reactor (SMR) selection process further demonstrates that we intend to be at the forefront of the next generation of nuclear innovation. It is particularly encouraging to note that the process will include GBN assigning sites to the SMR selection winners, and that it will retain the ability to form project development companies. These are major pieces of the puzzle that will help move us from talking about reactor technologies to building power stations.

Backing SMRs is essential, but another piece of the wider energy security and net-zero puzzle is gigawatt scale stations, the very foundation of the nuclear industry in this country and the reason why we have such a robust supply chain and a 75,000 strong workforce.

Large-scale reactors are proven, reliable technology that produce huge amounts of

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power with limited land use. Hinkley Point C will power 6m homes from less than a quarter of a square mile. Sizewell C will do the same and will displace over 5bn cubic metres of gas use each year, helping free the UK from its dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets.

Fundamentally, large-scale nuclear power plants can be built quickly and competitively.

France and the Republic of Korea each built large-scale reactors in five to seven years when they applied a rigorous fleet mentality to nuclear construction. Replicating reactor designs, utilising an existing supply chain and keeping the skilled workforce engaged within the sector will reduce costs, enabling us to build new reactors more efficiently. If we adopt this approach, combined with cheaper financing costs from the application of the regulated asset base (RAB) model, we can achieve cheaper, faster large-scale nuclear.

Several western countries have already launched major new nuclear programmes with a mix of small and large scale stations, designed by state bodies, backed by state financing, and enabled by sensible planning reforms. France intends to build up to fourteen new large-scale reactors plus SMRs, and Poland is already close to signing off a major largescale project, after choosing to back nuclear.

It is also very encouraging to see a number of large-scale reactor designs already up and running and their supply chains active. In the past six months, Westinghouse AP1000 at Vogtle in the USA, the EPR at Olkiluoto in Finland, the

IOLO JAMES • HEAD OF MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS • NIA

KEPCO APR-1400s at Barakah in the UAE and Shin Hanul in the Republic of Korea have all entered commercial operation.

It is imperative, therefore, that the UK government remains committed to largescale nuclear projects.

Ensuring Sizewell C reaches a final investment decision in 2024 is of the utmost importance and “green labelling” nuclear investment will help facilitate that. But, after Sizewell C and GBN’s SMR programme, the UK will still need a minimum of 16GW more nuclear capacity to meet the 24GW target. To help fill the gap, the government should determine swiftly how best to make further gigawatt projects happen after Sizewell C. We have the sites: Wylfa on Anglesey, for instance, is widely considered the best location in Europe for a new nuclear project. So we must now seize the opportunity to start a process to determine which reactor technology is best placed to deliver there, while of course maximising British supply chain expertise.

The task now, of both industry and government, is to deliver. We should never forget why we are doing this in the first place. We are doing it to secure our energy supplies: British nuclear means less reliance on imported gas.

We are doing it to save our planet: nuclear has the lowest carbon use, lowest land use, and lowest impact on ecosystems of any electricity source, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Most of all, we are doing it for communities up and down the country. Our industry provides long-term, stable, skilled, wellpaid work to people in every nation and region of the UK. Nuclear brings opportunity to young people who are looking for a job that will let them stay in the places they grew up, and to build a life and family there for themselves. We see it as our duty not only to produce the energy the nation needs, but to nurture the communities who host nuclear facilities.

The stark reality, however, is that many of our existing nuclear power plants are retiring in the next five years. Losing nuclear means less reliable energy, more grid instability, and higher bills. That is not the future we want for our country, and that is why the task of reviving new nuclear, both large and small, in this country is of both urgent and historic importance.

This article originally appeared on politicshome.com

Media Watch “Britain needs more large-scale nuclear reactors” was the NIA’s Chief Executive Tom Greatrex message in a piece he penned for a special green issue of The House magazine. He outlined why it is imperative for the UK government to remain committed to gigawatt-scale nuclear power stations alongside SMRs. “After Sizewell C and Great British Nuclear’s SMR programme” he writes, the UK will still need a minimum of 16GW more nuclear capacity to meet the 24GW target. To help fill the gap, the government should determine swiftly how best to make further gigawatt projects happen after Sizewell C.” Let’s see what comes of that.

It’s been a busy few months for the Nuclear Energy All-Party Parliamentary Group, which included a trip to Finland to see the brand new EPR, Olkiluoto 3, and the world’s first Geological Disposal Facility (GDF), Onkalo. The Chair of the APPG, Charlotte Nichols, was interviewed by Finnish News Station, MTV News about the trip and the UK’s interest in Finland’s nuclear progress.

Charlotte told journalist Heli Sivunen: “I think there’s a lot we can learn in the UK, not just about technical and scientific challenges that Finland has had to come up against, how you make sure this is safe, how you make sure the geology is right, but also how you make sure you have public consent.”

In October the NIA CEO, Tom Greatrex, appeared on ITV News to talk about the NIA Jobs Map. He told the programme: “There’s more than £5 billion being spent in the local and regional economy as a result of what’s happening at Hinkley.

You will see there that there are people working on site in a range of different capacities, all contributing to what is the biggest construction site in Europe, which is a really important part of helping us get to a net zero energy secure future for the country.”

What happens after a nuclear power station is closed?

That’s the question the BBC’s Theo Leggett asked as he visited Hinkley Point recently to learn more about the decommissioning process. His article proved to be a useful educational tool for those unaccustomed with the defueling and decommissioning phase of the nuclear lifecycle, from the removal of hundreds of fuel assemblies from deep within the reactor cores, to what ultimately happens to the waste – its burial in a deep geological disposal facility.

As part of the Nuclear Energy APPG ‘Made in Britain’ report outlining a pathway to a UK nuclear renaissance, Liz Saville Roberts, Plaid Cymru MP and APPG Vice-Chair, spoke to BBC Radio Cymru about the importance of backing the Wylfa and Trawsfynydd sites as part of a new nuclear programme.

She told the programme: “Wylfa is ideal for large-scale generation, and should be safeguarded for such use if further gigawatt reactors are backed, while Trawsfynydd is the perfect site for small modular reactors or an advanced modular reactor. I urge the UK Government and Welsh Government to work together to make the best use of these opportunities to bring net zero, social and economic benefits to the communities of north Wales.”

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For full versions and more details on these and other stories visit www.worldnuclear-news.org.

Sixth NuScale SMR simulator opens

NuScale Power announced the opening of the first privately-funded NuScale Energy Exploration Centre at Seoul National University.

The E2 Centre offers users a handson opportunity to apply nuclear science and engineering principles through simulated, real-world nuclear power plant operation scenarios. The Centre uses state-of-the-art computer modeling to simulate a NuScale VOYGR-12, 924 MWe, small modular reactor (SMR) plant powered by 12 NuScale Power Modules.

Orano to expand capacity of French enrichment plant

Orano has approved investment of some EUR1.7 billion to raise the production capacity of the Georges Besse II (GB-II) uranium enrichment plant by more than 30%.

The project consists of building a further four modules identical to the 14 existing modules “with the same recognised, tried-andtested technology and with a reduced environmental footprint”, the company said. The additional

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cascades will increase the plant’s capacity by 2.5 million separative work units (SWU), the measurement applied to uranium enrichment.

The GB-II plant officially opened in December 2010 and reached its full production capacity of 7.5 million SWU in 2016.

UK and USA team up on fusion development

The US Department of Energy (DOE) and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) have announced a new strategic partnership to accelerate the demonstration and commercialisation of fusion energy. The agreement was signed in Washington DC, by US Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk and the UK’s Minister for Nuclear and Networks Andrew Bowie.

The partnership will bring together scientists and engineers from the UK and USA to address the technical challenges of delivering commercially viable fusion energy and allow shared access for facilities and stimulate new R&D opportunities. It will also standardise international regulatory frameworks and codes of practice, develop resilient supply chains for materials for long-term support and promote skills development.

A coordinating committee will meet for the first time in early 2024.

Led jointly by the DOE and DESNZ, it will include representatives from national laboratories, academia and industry to advance a shared fusion vision. The committee is expected to form and oversee working groups to identify and advance priority US-UK collaborative opportunities.

The countries have a long history of collaborative efforts in generating scientific and technological progress in fusion energy R&D.

Construction under way of radwaste facility

Work has begun on the a new storage building for low and intermediatelevel waste in the Netherlands, the Central Organisation for Radioactive Waste (Covra) announced.

The new storage building is mainly intended for the storage of historical radioactive waste that is currently stored on the site of medical isotope producer NRG in Petten.

Future decommissioning waste from nuclear installations in the Netherlands will also be placed here.

The current processing and storage at Covra is not yet suitable for this.

The new building—designed for the storage of drums of radioactive waste in special stackable storage containers—will provide sufficient storage capacity until 2050.

KRISTINA DRAKE • MEDIA MANAGER • NUCLEAR WASTE SERVICES

Work commences to permanently secure low level nuclear waste vaults in Cumbria

A key programme of work at the Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria is making real progress

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he Repository, which is part of Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) and manages disposal of the UK’s low level radioactive waste, has started key work on the final capping of historic trenches and vaults which are now full and ready for permanent closure.

Disposal of low level radioactive waste began in 1959 with waste being tipped into lined trenches at the Repository site near Drigg, Cumbria.

Disposal techniques evolved during the late 1980s and early 1990s through the construction of highly engineered concrete vaults. This resulted in a modern, innovative approach to the treatment and safe disposal of low level nuclear waste in specially designed metal containers, which was placed in engineered vaults at the Repository site A long-term programme is now underway to permanently close the existing vaults and adjacent trenches—and initial work on the ground has now begun. This work is key to Nuclear Waste Service’s mission to make nuclear waste permanently safe, sooner, which is vitally important to the UK and future generations.

The UK has been producing and managing nuclear waste for many decades and will continue to do so for many more. Today, nuclear power is viewed by the UK Government as essential to the low-carbon energy mix and securing our energy supply in the future. The Welsh Government also supports nuclear new build. Therefore, the ability to safely manage and dispose of nuclear waste today and for future generations is crucial.

The project (Capping Operations) is a significant scope of work both in terms of scale and complexity.

The initial work of the Capping Operations is now progressing, and will take five years.

This first phase, Southern Trench Cap Interim Membrane (STIM) project, will see a replacement membrane put in place over some of the trenches to continue to protect the waste and will remain in place for up to 100 years. Early works are underway and include installing drainage across the trenches to prepare the area for the membrane installation.

The trenches and vault will be gradually covered by the final cap as work progresses.

“The Low Level Waste Repository is an important national asset and is critical to delivering the Nuclear Waste Services’ mission. I am pleased we’re progressing work on this long-term project with work commencing on site for this phase, it is

vitally important that NWS caps the existing vaults and trenches to provide long-term protection to the wastes and the environment for generations to come.

“We’re making good progress on the project with a cap design agreed, infrastructure in place to deliver this work and permission to build the cap has been granted by the local authority. We will continue to work with our community to maintain our social licence to operate and are committed to being a considerate neighbour whilst delivering our important mission.”

Mike Pigott, Director of Sites and Operations, Nuclear Waste Services NWS has been engaging with the local community with drop-in sessions and site tours to share more details about what residents will see and hear over the next six to twelve months of operations. Plans are in place to mitigate and minimise any associated noise, dust, traffic, ecological and visual impacts.

NWS is currently engaging with the supply chain to select the contractor for the next phase of the project, which is planned to be phased over four years and expected to commence late in 2024. The project involves the installation of an additional membrane under the interim trench cap.

NWS is a core part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group, which is responsible for keeping the UK’s former nuclear sites and facilities safe and secure as they are decommissioned.

Most radioactive waste arising in the UK is Low Level (LLW) or Very Low Level (VLLW). Nuclear Waste Services delivers solutions for this waste, including at the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR), as a valuable but finite resource for low level waste disposal.

The Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria is the UK’s primary LLW disposal facility. This nuclear licensed site enables the safe, secure, and environmentally compliant effective management of low level waste materials needing disposal in engineered vaults.

In the last decade low level and intermediate level waste has been dealt with more sustainably, protecting the remaining disposal vault capacity available. Alternative options such as re-use, recycling, decontamination, incineration, and specialised landfill, (for waste with the very lowest levels of radioactivity), are now preferred with disposal at the Repository site seen as a last resort.

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JON WOODBURN • PUBLIC AFFAIRS EXECUTIVE • NIA

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eptember saw the NIA hold it’s third, and largest ever, Nuclear Week in Parliament, where over 1,000 industry delegates and 100 Parliamentarians were in attendance across 21 events. Nuclear Week is an opportunity to showcase the contribution nuclear energy can continue to make to energy security, driving economic growth across the country and reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels.

Throughout the week, each event promoted to Parliament the opportunities that nuclear energy presents, bringing together key stakeholders and decision-makers to hold productive conversations and help drive our industry forward.

Our focus was on the momentum within the sector and seven key policy asks which will help to keep this up over the years ahead. As our current fleet retires, we lose part of our energy mix, meaning less reliable supply, more grid instability and higher bills.

That is why the task of new nuclear, which is at the core of Nuclear Week in Parliament, is of both urgent and historic importance.

Our Welcome Reception hosted by Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, included speeches from Sir Lindsay, Minister Andrew Bowie MP, Ed Miliband MP, Julia Pyke (Joint Managing Director of Sizewell C) and Laurent Odeh (Chief Commercial Officer of Urenco). Consensus was clear—nuclear’s unique contribution is increasingly being reflected in cross-party policy with a factual and scientific basis of including civil nuclear power within the UK’s energy mix. Minister Bowie spoke on the excellent work carried out

by Great British Nuclear to ensure the SMR Competition was up and running, with Ed Miliband, endorsing the work of Great British Nuclear, seeing it as a perfect fit for Great British Energy if Labour were elected in 2024. It was an excellent night, capped off by two Westinghouse Apprentices presenting Mr Speaker with an AGR clock they made on behalf of the industry to pay tribute to him hosting the event.

NIA’s Skills & Apprenticeship Fair, in association with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, saw 115 apprentices travel to London and speak to over 30 Parliamentarians during our drop-in event.

Attendees heard from Shadow Minister for Skills Seema Malhotra MP, Vicky Proctor of Assystem, Jacq Longrigg from the NDA and Grace McCrickard, NSAN UK Nuclear Apprentice & Advanced Apprentice of the Year 2023 (Electrical Project Engineer, Jacobs).

Reflecting on her speech, Grace said: “It was such a special moment in my career, one I will remember forever. I got to meet so many inspirational industry representatives, as well as Lords, MPs and Apprentices from across the country.

“Presenting my first speech was a surreal, exciting and nerveracking experience! Getting the opportunity to talk about my career and express the importance of apprenticeships was truly a fantastic moment for me as this is something I am extremely passionate about. It’s moments like this that really pushes and shapes a persons career, having this amazing opportunity has helped me gain confidence and experience in both my professional and personal life. I got the opportunity to see the impact I can make on new apprentices today, which certainly encourages me to strive even harder to inspire. Definitely one of my most favourite moments in my career so far!”

Our Skills Fair highlighted how nuclear brings opportunity to young people looking for a job that will let them stay where they grew up, and build a life and family there for themselves. It was a timely reminder to the Shadow Minister and Parliamentarians in attendance that nuclear does not just produce the energy the UK needs, but also nurtures the communities who host our facilities.

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OLIVIA WHITE • ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - I&E • CAVENDISH CONSULTING

MP’s appetite for new nuclear The UK Government has an ambition for 24 gigawatts of nuclear energy by 2050. That’s almost double the highest installed capacity the UK has ever achieved. Such an aspiration needs significant political support both on the national level, driving policy, and locally to support developments.

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o where are our UK politicians in terms of the need for nuclear? Cavendish Consulting, in collaboration with the Nuclear Industry Association, commissioned YouGov to conduct a survey of MPs from across the UK to help us understand their views on new nuclear, and the extent to which they would support or oppose the development of new advanced nuclear technologies within their constituencies.

Positive about nuclear Our survey found that just over two-thirds (68%) of MPs support advanced nuclear technology in their constituency, with 88% of Conservative MPs and 54% of Labour MPs in favour for nuclear.

Cavendish Consulting’s separate research on MPs’ views on net zero (conducted by YouGov), found nuclear energy is the top energy source that MPs believe the Government should be doing more to support the development of. However, results again vary by party, with Conservative MPs notably more likely to state this than Labour MPs. The appetite from the Tories has been shown in UK Government policy, from the progression of Sizewell C and creation of Great British Nuclear to funding programmes such as the Future Nuclear Enabling Fund to provide support for new nuclear.

Labour has expressed its support for nuclear and through Great British Energy would “drive investment and innovation in the UK’s nuclear industry, which is critical for our energy security”. Despite this, our results suggest the sector must continue to clearly relay the benefit of advanced nuclear technologies to key figures within the Party prior to a General Election.

Our survey showed opposition is strongest amongst Scottish MPs, with 100% of those surveyed opposing new nuclear technology which coincides with Scottish Government’s stance that is it “opposes the building of new nuclear stations using current technologies”.

Whilst it is unlikely that this policy will change overnight, there are suggestions the public may be more amenable to new nuclear, and the part it can play in complementing the country’s energy mix. Separate public perception polling by Britain Remade found 44% of SNP voters believed nuclear power should be included in Scotland’s energy mix, with 39% opposing. The question is, will SNP’s historical and strong policy stance on nuclear continue or will the shifting support amongst its membership, and increasing energy bills, provide an opportunity for a change or at least an acceptance of the role nuclear can play in Scotland’s energy future.

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Building trust in new nuclear A central strand of interest amongst politicians is the progress of new technology in small modular (SMRs) and advanced modular reactors (AMRs).

In theory quicker and cheaper to build, with less community impact, these technologies will be an attractive addition to the energy market.

Cementing this interest into more substantial advocacy across the parties should be a priority for the industry. Our research showed MPs see jobs and skills as being the biggest benefit to their constituency of having a nuclear facility over energy security, net zero and reduced energy prices. The industry should look to maximise socio-economic benefits as a marked difference from other low-carbon energy sources which support limited job creation beyond construction.

Waste challenges For all the enthusiasm, there are ongoing concerns in terms of nuclear waste, from MPs across the board. Nuclear power is the only largescale energy-producing technology that takes full responsibility for all its waste, safety and environmental impact. The waste legacy is a key concern across all parties, however SNP are the most concerned with it (92%), along with safety concerns (84%).

For Labour MPs these concerns are more prominent than for Conservative MPs, therefore the industry should be focusing resources on engaging Labour MPs and candidates to help build greater trust in nuclear.

Time not money Financing and cost are often raised as an issue by nuclear sceptics but only 15% of MPs polled raised construction cost as a concern for new nuclear. This is perhaps a reflection of the lower cost claims from SMR technology developers.

For the Tories, the biggest concern is the length of time it takes to get planning permission. Whilst we’ve seen the UK Government make moves to reform the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime it is unlikely in the short term new nuclear will benefit, especially as the updated policy statement for nuclear isn’t expected until 2025.

In addition, the need for nuclear technology to go through the Generic Design Assessment and for operators to hold a Nuclear Site Licence, means regardless of reactor size, developers need to navigate a complex arrangement of permissions, consents and licenses. All of which need to be explained to stakeholders and communities as part of any development process. At a Westminster level, early and regular engagement to both reassure and explain these processes can only help smooth project development.

What is clear from our research is that the nuclear industry is in a strong position to maintain momentum, driving policy and political support for this low-carbon energy source.

Get in touch: enquiries@cavendishconsulting.com +44 (0)20 3697 7630 The full report can be downloaded at: cavendishconsulting.com/insights/how-political-isnuclear

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JON MATTOS • MEDIA & MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER • ECITB

ECITB drone course helps make Sellafield inspections ‘safer and faster’ A team of drone operators from Sellafield has become the first cohort to complete the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board’s (ECITB) new Foundation Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) training course.

The nuclear facility in Cumbria started using drones over five years ago to make inspections “safer and faster”, and since then it has carried out hundreds of flights checking assets on site.

All its pilots sit the General Visual Line of Sight Certificate (GVC) course, but Sellafield wanted something more specific for industrial settings. It joined an ECITB working group that helped instigate the creation of industry-wide standards for the use of unmanned aircraft on sites.

After the course was officially launched earlier this year, Sellafield was first to sign up to train its team of drone operators.

Approved Training Provider Global Drone Training put on the week-long course at Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence in Cleator Moor, which involved a mixture of theorybased work and practical flying.

Amanda Smith, UAV Equipment Programme Lead at Sellafield, said: “Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have now become the standard method for remote inspections at Sellafield.

“Even though it meant taking a week out of a very busy flying schedule to put the team through the course, in the long run it helps make inspections safer and faster. The course builds on what they’ve got from the GVC with

vital experience and skills for flying on industrial sites.

“At Sellafield, we always go over and above. When you’re flying drones over a nuclear site you need to understand how people are trained and their skill level. Having this new standard means if someone comes to us with this ECITB qualification, I understand the standard of the training they’ve got, which saves time on internal assessments.”

Amanda added: “It’s about keeping people from harm in the first instance.

If we can minimise people entering high dose areas or working at height for inspections, that is a big win.

“Drones allow us to accelerate programmes. We have a large site and waiting to scaffold jobs can result in plant downtime. We can avoid that by using drones to inspect assets and get details over to engineers to make quicker decisions.”

Keeping people away from harm

Course ‘representative of scenarios on site’

Industry becoming more aware of the advantages of drones has led to an increased demand for pilots who have the specific knowledge and skills to fly in industrial settings.

The ECITB’s new course, created in collaboration with the UK Drone Association, ARPAS-UK, provides an understanding of drone functionality and how to conduct operations on industrial sites safely, effectively and efficiently.

For Amanda’s team in the Remote Technologies Group, which manages Sellafield’s fleet of UAVs, remoteoperated vehicles (ROVs) and robotics, the work it does “is all about keeping people away from harm”.

In the first six months of this year, there were 100 asset inspections and 150 upskilling flights carried out at Sellafield by its team of operators, who won an award for innovation at the first ever Nuclear Manufacturing Awards in October.

Sellafield also put a member of its Emergency Duty Team (EDT) through the course to see if the rest of the cohort would benefit.

Tom Calverley, Radiometric Physicist at Sellafield, is on the EDT and was part of a trial to explore the possibility of attaching a rad sensor to a drone to measure radiation as Sellafield looks to tap into the “massive potential” of UAVs. “I did the GVC training and the ECITB course seemed like the next logical step as the flight skills you need at Sellafield are more advanced,” said Tom, who has been at Sellafield for two years, having completed its graduate scheme.

“This course is representative of the scenarios you might get on site. You also get that good level of crossover between the drone world and industry, which gives you awareness about the capabilities of what drones can do to help us work safer and faster on site.”

Find out more about the ECITB Foundation UAS Course at www.ecitb.org.uk/dronetrainingcourse

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2023 | WINTER — 13

Nuclear Energy APPG visit to Finland In early November the Nuclear Energy All-Party Parliamentary Group visited Finland to see the progress the country is making in ramping up its nuclear capacity, including the construction of the world’s first Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) and Europe’s newest nuclear power station, Olkiluoto 3, dubbed the country’s “greatest climate action” by the Finns.

A whopping 30% of all of Finland’s electricity comes from three nuclear stations on one tiny island, and the country’s GDF will be operational in 2025, creating a blueprint for the rest of the world.

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Aerial view of Olkiluoto 3, Finland ©TVO — https://www.awesomephotography.ca

A trip to Sellafield

“THE SCALE OF THE DECOMMISSIONING OPERATION IS UNDOUBTEDLY IMMENSE. HOWEVER, I WAS MOST STRUCK BY THE INNOVATION AND PASSION OF THE WORKERS.”

In early November I had the opportunity to travel to Cumbria to visit Sellafield, home to the oldest nuclear facilities in the UK. The site, which houses more than 1,000 buildings, is also the largest nuclear complex in Western Europe.

I was initially hesitant to visit Sellafield, having received a flurry of concerned messages from family members and friends when I mentioned my proposed trip due to the site’s chequered past with Ireland.

However, having visited and having met some of the 6,000 people who work on site, I can honestly say that safety at Sellafield is gold standard.

There are of course hazards involved in processing nuclear waste, but risks are minimised through exceptional safety standards on site, which are carried out by dedicated nuclear professionals, many of whom are world leaders in their roles.

Since it began operating in 1950, a range of activities have been undertaken at Sellafield. Plutonium was manufactured for the weapons programme at the site as part of the British war effort during the Second World War. Then, four Magnox reactors were built at the site to generate electricity for the National Grid, including Calder Halll, the world’s first full-scale commercial nuclear power station. Sellafield was also the centre of UK fuel reprocessing operations until July 2022. Now, the focus is on decommissioning and waste management.

The scale of the decommissioning operation is undoubtedly immense. However, I was most struck by the innovation and passion of the workers, many of whom are second or even third generation Sellafield workers.

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The Sellafield Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant, which is being delivered by the Programme and Project Partners, is using cutting edge 4D Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology. BIM technology creates a digital representation of the physical elements of the projects, providing real-time updates on construction progress which can be used to update stakeholders. More importantly, the technology allows the team to mitigate a wide range of risks associated with working on a construction site.

Having witnessed the BIM technology being used first hand and having learnt about the use of automated retrieved waste analysis, I was not surprised to learn that Sellafield is set to become a world leader in the use of AI. The scale of the decommissioning operation is vast, however, cutting edge processes are being developed using the latest scientific knowledge and technological expertise to overcome these challenges and “create a clean and safe environment for future generations”.

The numbers associated with Sellafield are truly staggering: 11,000 total employees, 10,500+ apprentices trained over 67 years, £300 million spent each year with SMEs and over £1.2 billion spent in the supply chain. It has a reach which is almost unrivalled in the nuclear industry.

The work being done at this specialised facility, under the care of committed professionals, is truly incredible. At the NIA, we often talk about how nuclear is the only technology that is responsible for tracking, managing and making safe its own waste, and it all happens at Sellafield.

▲ L -R: Paul Robson, Sellafield Chief Nucle

ear Officer, Tom Greatrex, Lauren Rowe, Stephanie McKenna, Iolo James, all NIA, Matt Legg, Sellafield.

2023 | WINTER — 17

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Dr Rob Lock, AWE Chief Scientist The UK is experiencing a nuclear renaissance. With that in mind, Dr Rob Lock has a big responsibility in ensuring that AWE’s science and research remains at the forefront of national defence and nuclear security. He shares with us his career journey, the opportunities for new and emerging technologies—and his passion for inspiring future generations to be part of the nuclear industry.

Appointed in June 2023, Rob is AWE Chief Scientist and is a physicist by background. He has spent much of his career on researching and understanding how physics methodology is applied to nuclear deterrence and national security. He joined AWE in 1995 and since then he has been privileged to work on some of the most exciting scientific research in the UK. “I was interested in science from an early age”, Rob fondly recalls. “I think it was from about 11 years of age. I started early on with chemistry and then as I got a bit older, I suddenly sort of discovered physics—when I was about 15.”

The fascination with quantum mechanics was the appeal for Rob and hence his motivation for becoming a physicist. “I vividly remember reading an article in New Scientist—about Nobel Prize-winning Austrian-Irish physicist Erwin Schrödinger. He was one of the inventors of quantum mechanics, or one of the founding fathers.

“Schrödinger’s theory intrigued me to the point that I thought, well, that’s probably what I want to go and do, and that’s what happened.”

Rob graduated in physics from Imperial College London in 1993, the University of London as it was then. “I wanted to be a theoretical physicist and maths wasn’t necessarily my strong point, so I had to persevere and work quite hard at that.”

With an impressive technical background and a deep curiosity, Rob has been at the helm of physics research at AWE. That led him to being appointed the company’s Chief Scientist in June of this year—an important strategic role for the defence and wider community.

“I think one of the biggest challenges in my career was probably around the transition from being a full-time practising scientist to leading scientists and projects.

“The first step on this journey was in leading a group at AWE, I didn’t find it very comfortable at first to make the big step up to that role. It was hard because it took me away from doing the practical and core science. And I still have a great affinity for that.

“Then moving to Head of Physics and now Chief Scientist were other big steps and I’m still finding my feet with my new role.”

AWE’s scientists and engineers work at the forefront of new and emerging technologies and innovations—and do so to keep us all safe and secure in the most strategic sense.

“I am working on every aspect of AWE’s programme. And I’m looking at how nuclear technologies and science can be used and abused by others.

Areas that include nuclear detection and forensics to keep our borders safe. That’s always been an intriguing and exciting area of interest for me.”

“My role encourages me to do the best for future scientists, so I’m thinking about how we can shape AWE and pass on a strong legacy for the next generation. I want to be a champion for science at AWE and in the UK and articulate what our scientists need—to do great science.”

AWE has a number of strategic partnerships with academia and industry that are pivotal to the company’s STEM agenda—in accessing and transferring knowledge for mutual benefit.

“Being open-minded about the way we do what we do, where we do what we do and with whom presents lots of opportunity for partnerships and collaborations. The other thing that excites me is the breadth and depth of the technical developments that are happening across the discipline. Areas like fusion energy, AI, robotics and automation—and what they that could mean for AWE for years to come.”

Rob is acutely aware of the need to inspire and develop scientists and engineers across the UK for the future.

“The UK is going to struggle to get the resources it needs in STEM. There needs to be massive investment to ensure that we have the professionally qualified people across all disciplines—be it defence, construction, healthcare, energy and the environment—because everyone wants them.”

The nuclear industry is a big area of growth in the UK with many opportunities for those who wish to enjoy a rewarding career.

“It’s a great time to be part of it. My advice is learn the skills, absorb the knowledge, make the connections and you’ll find your career can go in all sorts of fantastic directions—as mine has!”

You can find out more at www.awe.co.uk and follow on X @AWE_plc 2023 | WINTER — 19

NIA Business Group roundup

ALEX BUCKLEY • MEMBER RELATIONS & EVENTS EXECUTIVE • NIA

New Build – Ipswich, October We kicked off the New Build group’s two days in Suffolk with an invitation from our friends at EDF to tour the incredible Sizewell B. Before we started our tour the Station Director, Robert Gunn, gave us a warm welcome and introduction to our 40 NIA member organisations that managed to make the trip.

We were then taken on a tour of the impressive site. The highlight for me personally was being in the turbine hall at full throttle. An aweinspiring experience!

So far Sizewell B has saved 85 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and the station is worth £40 million to the local economy. It really is one of the country’s most important clean energy assets!

The group reconvened later that day to enjoy a dinner in Ipswich.

A special thank you to Vulcain Engineering for sponsoring the welcome drinks.

The following day we held the business group meeting at the Trinity Park Conference & Events Centre.

Despite the best efforts of the national 20 — WINTER | 2023

train strikes on the same day we still had a fantastic turn out of just over 70 member delegates.

NIA New Build Chair Sophie Macfarlane-Smith introduced our fist speaker of the day, the GBN Chair, Simon Bowen, who gave an update on GBN’s plans moving forward, how they’ll be supporting developers and an update on the SMR technology selection process.

We then moved onto our ‘EDF morning’ where we had speakers from EDF giving us all different types of presentations, from: Building the Sizewell C Supply Chain, MEH Alliance at SZC, Net Zero Innovation, EDF Nuclear Operations, New Technologies at Sizewell C and a Hinkley C update.

Thank you to our EDF & Sizewell speakers: Steven Carroll, Paul Snelling, Fred Chung and Robert Gunn.

After lunch we had one of our newest NIA members take to the stage for an introductory talk. D2 is a growing programme management solutions business supporting some of the UK and Canada’s largest infrastructure projects.

We then heard form Nick Gosling, Chief Strategy Officer from Vital Energi, who are doing some incredible work looking into how SMRs could support the decarbonisation of heat.

Shushi Tsuji from Sumitomo was next to talk about Pink Hydrogen Project in the UK, and talked about Sumitomo and Rolls-Royce SMR’s joint study that shows how RollsRoyce SMRscould help power the UK’s hydrogen network.

Lastly, we had Robert Hawkins from WSP talk on Impacts of ecology surveys at HPC. Robert discussed how their work has avoided lengthy delays and huge financial costs for new nuclear builds and how WSP has taken leading roles in consents and permits at HPC and Sizewell, strengthening their track record of providing environmental support to the UK nuclear industry.

That wrapped up our New Build group and a brilliant two days we had in Suffolk. I would like to once say a big thank you to EDF for the invitation to tour their incredible site and to sponsoring the meeting.

ELLA ASHDOWN• MEMBER RELATIONS & EVENTS EXECUTIVE • NIA

Decommissioning & Waste Management – Warrington, September

T

he first business group meeting back after the summer break was the Decommissioning and Waste Management group held in Warrington at the Birchwood Business Park in the Engine Rooms conference centre. This business group is one of our most popular, and consistently well attended, groups with over 100 delegates joining us from across our member companies and attracting curious non-members.

We enjoyed a wonderful pay-your-own-way dinner the night prior at Las Ramblas in Warrington centre, where 45 members enjoyed some informal networking over a variety of Spanish tapas and a few beers sponsored by Mammoet.

The theme of the meeting on Wednesday 20 September was “Reactor Decommissioning: Past,

Present, and Future”. We heard from John Turp of Nuclear Restoration Services (formerly Magnox) who opened the day by setting the scene with an overview of their final reactor clearance. From there, MC’ed by the Decom Business Group Deputy Chair Roger Todd of Cavendish Nuclear, we delved into an agenda which explored our industry’s illustrious history of reactor decommissioning.

We heard KDC Veolia, Westinghouse, and Cavendish Nuclear before marching into the present with presentations from Mammoet, Nuclear Restoration Services, Dounreay, and Babcock. Decom Mission’s Sam Long chaired a marvellous panel discussion exploring perspectives on today’s reactor decommissioning before we paused for lunch and networking.

The afternoon, looking to the future of decommissioning, saw a highly engaging presentation from Underwater Construction Corporation about pile fuel storage, Veolia Nuclear Services gave us insight into decommissioning unknown environments with an investigative look at the Fukashima project, and rounding off the day was Graphitech, who offered solutions for dismantling graphite reactors.

The audience engagement was tangible and evident from the level of participation and the specificity of the questions put to our speakers.

Despite the AV hiccups experienced, the feedback from this event was overwhelmingly positive and we cannot wait to get the 2024 agendas out to our members.

ALEX BUCKLEY• MEMBER RELATIONS & EVENTS EXECUTIVE • NIA

Legal & Financial – London, November At our Legal & Financial group we looked in depth at some legal questions in the light of the current state of the nuclear industry in the UK. We are at a time of transition in many respects and these changes will undoubtedly give rise to challenges of lawyers working in or advising the nuclear industry.

The event was hosted by our friends from 39 Essex Chambers in their fantastic offices in London. I can also say that they put on a fantastic spread for all delegates to enjoy. Once again a massive thank you to 39 Essex Chambers.

We opened up the day with our key note speaker Anthony Wetherall (Head, Nuclear and Treaty Law Section, IAEA) who flew in from Vienna for the event so a massive thank you to Anthony for attending.

We then moved onto Rose Mannasei & Kim Stockdale from EDF who gave us a presentation on ‘AGR’s Lifetime & Decommissioning’ who gave us an update on EDF operations.

Also from EDF we then had Paul Merrett who spoke on ‘Contracting Strategy for New Nuclear’,

which included discussions on ‘Progress at HPC/ Contracting structure on HPC/ Contract and procurement strategy on SZC’.

Then Dawn Armstong (Head of Nuclear Decommissioning and Radioactive Materials Policy from DESNZ) who gave us an update on the ‘Latest government policy on Decommissioning and New Nuclear’. Dawn discussed ‘Proposed update to nuclear decommissioning and radioactive policies/ Policy on Geological disposal/ New Nuclear: What next?’.

Lastly we had our fantastic hosts 39 Essex Chambers, both Stephen Tromans KC and Catherine Dobson who gave us a brilliant presentation on ‘Development consent process/Licensing SMRs/Key issues for UK regulation/Global regulatory harmonisation’.

Once again I’d like to thank all of the speakers for giving us some brilliant presentations and to all the delegates who attended and stayed afterwards for the ‘Networking Lunch’ that was again put on by our great members 39 Essex Chambers.

2023 | WINTER — 21

ELLA ASHDOWN• MEMBER RELATIONS & EVENTS EXECUTIVE • NIA

Fusion Group – Culham, September

Our Fusion Business Group returned to the UK Atomic Energy Authority campus in Culham again this year for our Autumn event—and what a huge change this site has undergone in a year!

We talk about progress in our industry, but seeing such a massive change to the Culham site was a true testament to the progress being made in the sector. The second Oxfordshire Advanced Skills centre was open and in full use, the new H3AT building to the south of the site was fully operational, and the new Head Quarters and office space buildings were taking definite shape opposite our usual meeting point in the John Adams Lecture Theatre (the foyer of which was also being renovated). This kind of progress on a site renowned for scientific research and growth is encouraging, and it shows the interest levels of the sector in this technology.

After a sophisticated pay-you-own-way dinner, with a networking drinks hour sponsored by Frazer Nash Consultancy, at The Crowne & Thistle in Abingdon, our members arrived to the Culham site ready to absorb the theme of the day; ‘Fusion: Challenges & Solutions’.

Vice Chair Steve Lawler of Frazer Nash Consultancy chaired the day and offered us a mighty welcome with an overview of what the fusion sector has seen over the past year. The theme of the day was prevalent as we saw the challenges of international collaboration and the difficulties offered by a multinational project such as ITER. But the solutions were there, and their effectiveness was

prevalent in the progress made by the STEP programme and industry efforts to minimise the skill shortage.

Roddy Vann, of the University of York, offered us an energetic kick start to the day and left us speculating at what age do we need to be engaging with young people if we want them to consider a career in nuclear or fusion?

This challenge was continued when we heard from Alex Reeve of Frazer Nash Consultancy, about his journey into nuclear, and his questions to the industry: What are your organisations doing to promote and support getting early career individuals into fusion? And could we as a sector be doing more?

The day also saw presentations from Dr Nick Walkden, UK Director of the Fusion Industry Associastion, and Yogesh Bhinde, Fusion Industry Programme Manager, which helped to reenforce the fact that fusion industry groups are united in our efforts to progress the sector and not out to compete in it, an opinion which was shared across the lecture theatre.

We also had a very engaging panel discussion which focussed on global challenges in delivering commercial fusion where we heard from Oxford Sigma, Kyoto Fusioneering, FIA, and UKAEA. After a short break thr focus turned to soloutions were we heard from member companies digiLab, Astral Systems, Accenture and UKAEA, all of whom offered innovative solutions to some specific fusion challenges including incorporating AI to the future of our sector.

Before we sent our members on tours of the Joint European Torus and UKAEA’s Remote Applications in Challenging Environment facilities, Kathryn George from the University of Manchester rounded off the day with an academic POV of the solutions she is offering the industry as a research fellow investigating the enrichment of lithium. Kathryn also brought us back to the overall theme that developed over the day, to that of engaging with young people and offering solutions and gateways that could help encourage and enable them to study or pursue a career in fusion.

Our next fusion group will meet in March 2024 where we will be hosted by Accenture in their Manchester offices—see you all there!

STEPHANIE MCKENNA• HEAD OF MEMBERSHIP SERVICES AND EVENTS • NIA

International Group – Knutsford, November

T

he final NIA Business group meeting of 2023, sponsored by Mott MacDonald, had a focus on the International market.

A group of 40+ people met the evening before the event to start conversations around the UK supply chain working internationally. We were honoured to be joined by many overseas delegates from France, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary, who got to know us throughout the evening.

Reconvening bright and early, Gareth Davies, Chair of NIA’s International group kick started the day welcoming presentations on Contracting in France, The journey to France through Europe, Working across UK and France

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and EDF’s Anne Falchi discussed EPR’s across Europe. Stephenson Harwood LLP, Mott MacDonald, and Vulcain Engineering provided insightful presentations on these topics, sharing best practice, their experiences and lessons learned, particularly around collaboration and entering new markets.

Moving East we changed the focus to Poland with DBT and the Ministry of Climate and Environment providing attendees with information on the civil nuclear market in Poland and what opportunities this may lead to for British companies. We continued with Poland and heard from Mike Waite on ‘How to do Business in Poland followed by three NIA members Bechtel, Jacobs and Rolls-

Royce SMR sharing their knowledge and aspirations in the Polish market (and beyond).

New NIA member Cohesive followed up by sharing their story and learnings of operating on large infrastructure projects in Eastern Europe.

During the afternoon we headed South and heard from international organisations in Slovakia (JAVYS), Hungary (Paks 2 and Hepenix Ltd) and Romania (Nuclearelectrica and Romatom) looking at decommissioning existing fleets as well as the aspirations for new build.

Special thanks to all our attendees who came from far and wide to join us for the day. We look forward to seeing you all at the next Business Group meeting in 2024!

Business Group dates for your diary 2024 NIA Business Groups bring the whole industry together, and allow member companies to exchange ideas, hear about opportunities and help develop important policies.

Sign up to attend any of these upcoming groups by visiting niauk.org/the-hub and completing the relevant event registration form.

Cross Industy - Same challenges, different industries Thursday 18 January The Technology and Innovation Centre, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow

Quality Group

Decommissioning and Waste Management Group - themed around programmisation Thursday 29 February The Halston, Carlisle

New Build and Existing Generation Group Thursday 21 March The Hub, Bristol

Fusion Group

Wednesday 24 Januuary Gillbanks, Manchester

Thursday 28 March Accenture, Manchester

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2023 | WINTER — 23

JON WOODBURN • PUBLIC AFFAIRS EXECUTIVE • NIA

Nuclear industry on show at Labour and Conservative party conferences

D

uring the last party conference season ahead of the 2024 General Election, the NIA showcased the thriving nuclear industry at both Conservative and Labour conferences. In Manchester, the Securing Energy for Britain reception was held after the Government’s landmark announcement on the first stage of the process for selection for small modular reactors.

Companies from across the sector heard from NIA Chief Executive Tom Greatrex, Minister Andrew Bowie and Carol Tansley (VP of X-Energy) about the significant economic impact on jobs and growth across the UK, that large-scale and advanced nuclear reactors can bring.

Tom pointed out that the nuclear industry is already well placed to support the UK’s need for clean, secure, reliable British energy and be able to provide well-paid and sustainable jobs around all parts of the country. This British nuclear renaissance will upskill our workforce; building a skills-based supply chain fit for the future, however, the process to market for new innovations is critical for the longterm health of the industry.

Andrew Bowie took to the stage and made no secret about the fact he believes and knows that he has the best job in government, bar none because he gets to represent, challenge, and drive forward the most exciting industry in UK. Andrew reiterated the Government’s commitment that there is no net-zero or energy security without nuclear power. The Government’s launch of GBN and support of both Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C is only the beginning. He looked forward to the Government’s nuclear roadmap published before December 2024 as a key action in building the foundations of the UK’s nuclear future.

Concluding our event, Carol Tansley of XEnergy,

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called for industry-wide collaboration to not only build the skills base and supply chain needed to deliver the overall programme detailed in the Nuclear Roadmap due to be published later this year but to also take full advantage of the opportunity to transform British industry through innovation in nuclear technology. The Governments own industrial decarbonization strategy, Hydrogen strategy and sustainable aviation fuel policies all recognise the central role that nuclear has to play in providing clean heat as the vital energy source for these fledgling sectors. Carol ended our event by highlighting that the UK was the crucible for the Civil Global nuclear industry. Companies such as X-Energy now provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the industry through advanced nuclear technology and export that know-how worldwide.

Following the Conservative Party Conference, the NIA arrived in Liverpool to discuss how a future Labour Government should use Great British Energy to deliver nuclear energy for net zero. Our panel was chaired by Bloomberg’s Rachel Morison and made up of the new Shadow Minister for Clean Power and Consumers, Jeff Smith MP; Co-Chair of the APPG on Nuclear Energy, Charlotte Nichols MP; GMB Union National Secretary, Andy Prendergast; and the NIA’s Tom Greatrex.

Opening the discussion, Tom emphasised that we would need to be as clean and green as possible to reach our 2030 target, but also warned that we need to be able to continue to deliver after 2030 to the 2050s and beyond. Industry would want to work with an incoming government to deliver this ‘not only because it’s important for jobs, growth and energy security, but also because it’s important for the future of the planet and our wider environment’.

Jeff Smith MP, echoed this by talking about the four crises the country faces: the cost of living crisis, the climate crisis, the jobs crisis and the energy security crisis. He believes that clean, homegrown energy is the answer and that nuclear has a key role to play. In reference to a theme that was prevalent around Labour Party Conference this year, Smith reiterated that the party would be “the builders not the blockers” in regard to the major national infrastructure projects that will be needed to transition to clean energy. While the Shadow Minister recommitted to absorbing Great British Nuclear into Great British Energy, Tom Greatrex emphasised the need for a clear direction from government that the industry can respond to, saying that “what we need is a programme and we need this programme to be driven because once you have a programme that’s driven that’s when people will invest”.

Charlotte Nichols followed this by stating that the government should set the strategic direction. Whilst she acknowledged the tight fiscal position that Labour would inherit if they won the general election, she argued that an industrial strategy was needed just as much as direct investment from the government.

Andy Prendergast concluded our panel by providing a union perspective that Great British Energy could give that regulatory certainty of government support. This will be crucial to giving business the certainty to make the investments that we desperately need as “we are going to need the output of British nuclear energy, the skills it produces, the jobs in the industries it supports”.

Following Nuclear Week in Parliament, conference season saw both major parties support the need for nuclear energy as a key part of the UK’s energy mix. As we approach the 2024 General Election the NIA is clear in its commitment to work with all parties to help make it happen and ensure future generations have the opportunity to join a vibrant nuclear industry in well paid, highly skilled jobs for decades to come and make a difference in achieving our Net Zero obligations.

2023 | WINTER — 25

NEWS FROM THE HUB.

The Princess Royal visits Nuclear Transport Solutions’ Barrow terminal Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Nuclear Transport Solutions’ (NTS) home port in Barrow-in-Furness in November and received a tour of its facilities and closer look at its worldleading operations.

The occasion marks the first royal visit hosted

by NTS, with The Princess Royal given a unique opportunity to explore one of Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited’s (PNTL) specialist nuclear vessels, and a state-of-the-art Direct Rail Services (DRS) locomotive.

NTS, the global leader in nuclear transportation and logistics solutions, and owner of DRS and PNTL, welcomed Her Royal Highness onto Pacific Heron, one of only three specialist nuclear vessels in the world. She was also given a rare glimpse inside one of the state-of-the-art Class 68 locomotives used to support the transportation of nuclear material around the UK. The visit offered a unique opportunity to learn more about NTS’s global nuclear operations, the rigorous safety measures, cutting-edge technology and diverse range of skills involved in the transportation of nuclear materials.

“The visit by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal is a significant event for NTS as it underscores the importance of safe and secure nuclear transportation, and the critical role it plays in energy security and low carbon electricity. It also serves as a recognition of the dedication and professionalism of the fantastic individuals we have working at NTS.” Wanda Goldwag Chair of NTS

AWE expand partnership with STEM returners AWE is stepping up its commitment to helping science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) professionals on a career break return to work by launching one of the largest STEM Returners programmes to date.

The programme, launched on National Engineering Day (Wednesday 1 November), will welcome a minimum of 30 industry returners over the next 18 months, across multiple disciplines such as science, engineering, and corporate business functions.

Roles will include engineers across all disciplines, physicists, chemists, project managers, compliance and safety professionals, and environmental specialists as well as IT, HR, and project controls.

AWE is partnering with STEM Returners, an organisation that helps employers recruit, develop and retain the best available talent, to enable highly qualified and experienced STEM professionals to re-start their career or transfer their skills. STEM Returners will help source candidates and support them with mentoring and career coaching services.

The new programme follows the success of AWE’s pilot STEM Returners programme last year, which helped 12 professionals return to work.

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There is a well-known skills shortage in the UK engineering industry but, despite a clear demand for people, talented and educated returners, who are willing and able to take on these roles, are often overlooked.

Annual research from STEM Returners (The STEM Returners Index) has revealed the challenges people face when trying to return to work, following a career break, with recruitment bias shown to be the main barrier to entry.

STEM Returners’ programme aims to eliminate these barriers by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement, as well as supporting them to seamlessly adjust to life back in work.

Whilst the scheme helps solve the problem of sourcing talent in sectors that need it, it also has the added benefit of increasing diversity in a host organisation. STEM Returners’ population of experienced professionals attempting to return to work are 45% female and 39% from minority ethnic background compared to 12% female and 9% BME working in industry.

Since STEM Returners first launched in 2017, more than 400 STEM Returners candidates have joined programmes across the UK. Visit stemreturners.com/placements.

Magnox rebrands as Nuclear Restoration Services

Kloeckner earns global ISO 22301 certification Kloeckner Metals UK is proud to announce that it has successfully attained ISO 22301 certification.

ISO 22301 is an international standard for Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) that certifies the company’s compliance with global standards for continuous operations in the event of any disruptions.

Primary purpose of BCMS is to identify threats relevant to a business and the critical business functions that they could impact. The ISO 22301 standard is designed to assist companies in identifying potential threats, assessing their impact and implementing plans in advance to prevent business disruptions.

“As a supply chain partner to a number of hightechnology industries, maintaining a robust business continuity management system and enhancing our business resilience is of paramount importance to ensure success. I am extremely proud of our team, whose hard work and commitment helps us consistently drive the business forward and lead the way among the industry suppliers.”

Peter Whiting, CEO of Kloeckner Metals UK: In today’s rapidly changing global environment, numerous risks can affect companies’ operations.

Kloeckner’s ability to manage everything from routine incidents to disruptions in the global supply chain gives their customers enhanced confidence that they will receive the products and services they need, when they need them, even during unforeseen circumstances.

Climate schools programme Help students explore solutions to tackling climate change and discover skills they didn’t know they had in a brand-new pilot programme for schools.

Sign up at climateschoolsprogramme.org.uk to take part in this new pilot programme and get sent free lesson plans, resources and activities aimed at 11 to 14 year-olds in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The Climate Schools Programme offers science, geography and English lessons that not only align with each nation’s curriculum but also inspire the next generation to explore green engineering careers and tackle climate change.

The resources and lesson plans are available to teachers working in state-funded secondary schools, teaching 11 to 14 year olds in science, geography and English. Career leaders and Heads can register for the school to get sent resources and materials.

Magnox Ltd has rebranded to Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS). A world leader in its field, NRS is responsible for safely decommissioning the first generation nuclear and research sites across the UK and restoring the sites for all our futures.

Its new brand strategy represents the joining together of the twelve Magnox sites and Dounreay in Scotland. It also prepares it to welcome the seven advanced gas-cooled reactor sites (AGRs), currently managed by EDF, for decommissioning, as well as other future missions.

The change in name helps focus on the future by investing in its workforce, assets, communities, sites, and surrounding landscapes to ensure NRS leave a sustainable nuclear legacy. While its brand may be changing its focus on safely decommissioning its nuclear sites remains the same.

Jacobs wins new contract Jacobs was awarded a new Project Management Resources (PMR) framework contract with EDF Nuclear Operations, licensee of eight nuclear power stations which account for approximately 16% of the UK’s electricity output.

Under an existing PMR framework, Jacobs supports operations at four Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) stations; the transition from generation to defueling at another three AGR stations; and the operation and life extension program for the Sizewell B pressurized water reactor. EDF estimates the value of the new two-year contract, which starts on 1 January 2024, at more than £40 million.

“Our commitment to supporting the UK’s nuclear power fleet helps communities to access sustainable, emission-free energy generation. We will assist EDF to maximize generation from these vital national assets for the remainder of their operating lives and to support energy security and the target of achieving net-zero carbon by 2050.

Simultaneously, we will assist the transition toward defueling and decommissioning at the stations which have ceased generating.”

Karen Wiemelt, Jacobs Senior Vice President Now in its ninth year, the existing PMR contract supports work for more than 200 project management, project engineering specialists and site team supervisors. The new framework is being contracted single source in recognition of performance over previous years. Jacobs is now recruiting for locations across the UK and welcomes those with diverse, non-nuclear experience.

2023 | WINTER — 27

WELCOME TO OUR

NEW MEMBERS

Not a member? To find out about the NIA and benefits of membership scan the QR code.

To discuss membership options available to your company call +44 (0)20 7766 6651 or email membership@niauk.org

ABMI ENGINEERING UK abmi-engineering.com/en

ARDATEM UK ardatem.fr/en

CRC EVANS crcevans.com

ABMI is a multi-specialist engineering firm providing key solutions for transport, energy, health and consumer goods and products.

In the UK the company is involved with Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, working within all disciplines.

ARDATEM makes its expertise and know-how available to the energy and nuclear sectors by means of its two hubs.

ARDATEM UK specialises in nuclear engineering. Its teams work in power plants assiting with project ownership, project and maintenance management, preparation and scheduling.

CRC Evans provides a combination of welding and coating services, equipment, technologies and integrated solutions.

With successful project delivery means and an experienced global team, CRC Evans supports the safe, reliable, and efficient delivery of energy and wider infrastructure projects around the world.

D2 d2rail.co.uk

KPMG LLP kpmg.com/uk

PROICERE proicere.co.uk

D2s diverse and talented team can support the nuclear industry in delivering UK energy security and sustainability.

Its professional services offering, based on experience of large-scale civil engineering projects, provides a full suite of programme management services.

KPMG LLP is a leading UK provider of tax, audit and advisory services, employing over 19,000 professionals in 22 offices across the country.

KPMG is one of the world’s leading professional services firms, operating in over 140 countries and territories across the globe and encompassing over 230,000 professionals.

Proicere aims to be the consultant of choice for BIM Management and Project Controls Integration.

It help its clients mitigate risks and exploit opportunities across a range of projects and sectors by combining project controls and innovative tools.

SETEC CONSULTING ENGINEERS LTD setec.fr/en

TECTUBI RACCORDI tectubiraccordi.com

TPAC thephasedarraycompany.com

Setec is a provider of consultancy, design, engineering, and project management services in the UK construction sector including Hinkley Point C. Its multidisciplinary areas of services cover the full spectrum of project life cycle from early feasibility stage up to operation and maintenance.

Tectubi Rccordi has more than 50 years experience in the production of fittings and piping components for the nuclear sector.

The company has a position of leadership both on the Italian and international market, acting as a reference point for the entire sector in the production of fittings and bends.

With 25 years of experience and a team of field experience and application specialists—electronic engineers, scientists, and software developers—TPAC can guide your Ultrasonic Testing project from start to finish with a unique wide portfolio of standard products.

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LINCOLN HILL • DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS • NIA

Persuading political parties

E

vents move quickly in British politics these days. I am writing now as Suella Braverman was sacked as Home Secretary and former Prime Minister David Cameron was appointed as Foreign Secretary. So if what I write seems hopelessly out of date by the time you read this, forgive me!

For all the noise, the political parameters that we are facing as an industry are relatively clear to us, especially following the party conference season.

As Jon has laid out in his excellent summary of Party conference season, we have a governing Conservative Party that is more comfortable with nuclear as a technology, and an opposition Labour Party, with a considerable chance of forming the next Government, that is potentially more comfortable with the financing required to get projects over the line.

However, they both want to achieve a combination of economic prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability. Nuclear has the answers to all of those: clean, reliable, sovereign power, the best environmental credentials of any electricity technology, and good, skilled, well-paid jobs for the communities who need them.

So within that framework, what do we then need to do in this febrile, pre-election period, to make both parties enthusiastic supporters of nuclear, committing in their manifestos to the delivery of the programme outlined for Great British Nuclear?

We need to fight the battle on systems costs.

That is, the cheapest system, and therefore the cheapest bills for voters, has a big portion of nuclear. Both parties want to go into the election promising cheaper energy bills for consumers.

From the consumer’s perspective, energy systems are what are cheap or expensive, not energy technologies. The bill we get through the door or on the direct debit is for plant-level generation costs, transmission costs, balancing costs, distribution costs, policy measures—all of it.

How much those all cost together is a product of the mix of technologies we have working together.

It’s no doubt a difficult argument, not as simple, elegant, and wrong as comparing LCOEs from different plants, but it is the right one that leads to the right policy choices. We have evidence in record balancing costs, the growing need for major capital investments in grid infrastructure, and creaking grid reliability as evidence that for a cheaper system, we need baseload nuclear in the mix.

We are, of course, a claims, arguments, and evidence industry, so we should lean heavily on

the existing nuclear fleet for the evidence for our claims and arguments. We cannot only say that nuclear keeps the lights on, we can prove it. The Grid forecasts a winter margin of just 4.7 GW this winter. The AGRs, who have had their lifetimes extended so often by EDF, offer 4.7 GW of capacity.

We cannot only say that nuclear is the most reliable generation technology, we can prove it.

The AGRs, with 300 years of reactor operations behind them, have more than twice the load factor of the next clean technology. And we can point to the evidence in exploding baseload prices of what life would be like without them. Last winter, baseload reference prices reached £405/MWh. If we want to electrify home heating, transport, and industry, and retire coal, what do we expect will happen if we don’t roll out nuclear at scale?

We also need to establish waste management as a positive example of nuclear leadership within the energy sector. This is probably a greater concern for the Labour Party, a lingering unease in the back of the mind. We can give them the truth. Every sector produces waste, and nuclear produces the least by volume. That makes it easier to track, manage and make safe, and we do that more rigorously and more thoroughly than any other industry. We are the only technology that is responsible for tracking, managing and making safe our own waste. It stays within specialised nuclear facilities under the care of dedicated nuclear professionals. We are the only ones who can say that.

Lastly, for new build technologies, we are required to set aside funding for decommissioning of a station and lay out a lifecycle plan for waste management before construction even begins.

That is the gold standard to which all others should aspire and be held.

If I may speak of a gold standard, the political parties also need to meet you. Every claim, every argument, and every bit of evidence is stronger and more resonant with a human face.

You are also the evidence of the jobs, the skills, the spirit of innovation, that MPs and candidates want to see and want to deliver for their constituents. The pride you bring to your work, the contribution you make to your communities, and the power you deliver to your country are an irresistible force for politicians. So invite them to come see you! They will take up the offer, I guarantee it.

And if you need advice on how, email me at lincoln.hill@niauk.org. The work goes on!

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