The report, Made in Britain: The Pathway to a Nuclear Renaissance, argues that Great British Nuclear (GBN) should set contract conditions that require the use of British supply chains, so even foreign SMR designs are effectively made by British industry, helping to “breathe new life” into Britain’s industrial heartlands and creating high-quality jobs.

To capitalise on the opportunity, the report calls on the Government to order multiple units of the SMR technology selected by GBN. This would justify UK companies investing in capabilities such as the fabrication of reactor pressure vessels, which the UK last did 40 years ago.

The report recommends the UK emulate the pathway adopted by other countries, such as France and South Korea, with the latter going from zero nuclear capacity in the 1970s to 24 GW today. To achieve that the country ordered several foreign reactors, standardised the design best suited to them, developed their capability to make critical components, and built multi-unit projects to capture the benefits of replication.

The report also says that if the Government chooses to pursue further GW reactors, then it should back Wylfa in North Wales as the next project during this Parliament, and to start negotiating as soon as possible to determine which reactor technology is best placed to deliver a project at the site: the UK EPR, AP-1000 or APR-1400.

A mix of large and small scale stations would help fill a 15 GW nuclear shortfall after Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C and the first SMRs come online. In total, the report makes five recommendations to government outlining how the UK can quadruple its nuclear capacity to 24 GW by 2050, up from 6 GW today:

• Establish a Net Zero duty on the Planning Inspectorate and all relevant regulators; designate nuclear deployment as a Critical National Priority.

• Publish a Nuclear Roadmap this year that outlines a full programme of projects to 2050.

• Commit the funding to GBN necessary to build its developer capabilities and to invest directly in at least the first two SMR projects and next large-scale project.

•  Select a partner for the next large-scale nuclear project beyond Sizewell C in this Parliament.

•  Award funding and assign sites to SMR Technology Partners by March 2024.

Implementing these recommendations would help create a pipeline of projects necessary for companies to invest in skills and in capabilities which would maximise opportunities for the UK workforce and supply chain. 

Ian Liddell-Grainger MP, Bridgwater and West Somerset (Conservative) and Chair of the APPG On Nuclear Energy, said:

“Ramping up nuclear capacity to the levels needed for energy security and net zero will require a monumental effort from government and industry. The steps outlined in this report shows how the UK can deliver on its commitment to nuclear and ensure we don’t fall behind the progress being made by other countries.

“We must seize this opportunity so we can deliver on clean power, energy security and good, green jobs for our country.”

Charlotte Nichols MP, Warrington North (Labour) and Co-Chair of the APPG on Nuclear Energy, said:

“Britain must show it is serious about its nuclear renaissance and by following these steps it can deliver on its ambition.

“The reward is huge: Building 20 GW more nuclear would sustain 250,000 jobs, adding around £20 billion to our new green economy each year, as well as providing a base of energy security for the rest of this century. We must act now to keep up momentum and deliver.”

The Government must back urgent investment in UK nuclear capability to cut Russian civil nuclear leverage over our allies, according to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy paper, “Resisting Russia’s Energy War: UK Nuclear Investment for Allied Energy Security”.

Nuclear is the leading source of clean power in the United States, Europe, South Korea and Japan, but all these countries rely heavily on Russian nuclear fuel import, which feeds into its multi-billion-dollar export industry. Without Russian supplies, the world will face a 15% gap in uranium conversion and a 20% shortfall in enrichment supplies, feeding electricity generation for around 100 million people.

The UK is the only country with an operable but inactive uranium conversion facility, at Springfields in Lancashire. Renewed investment supported by Government could reinstate conversion services capability of 6,500 tonnes of uranium per year, creating hundreds of jobs, and securing UK strategic capability in a critical part of the fuel cycle. The UK’s world-leading uranium enrichment facility at Capenhurst in Cheshire has a capacity of 4.5 million Separate Work Units (SWU), around half of the annual shortfall if Russian capability was removed. Fresh investment and orders facilitated by government intervention is necessary to expand and preserve capacity that would otherwise retire.

In addition, developing countries are being pulled into Russia’s energy orbit as they accept Kremlin offers to finance, construct, and support the operation of Russian-designed reactors. Over half (54%) of all nuclear reactors under construction since 2017 are Russian designed, according to the International Energy Agency.

The paper which sets out three key actions that the UK Government should take to tackle Kremlin leverage:

Award money from the £75 million Nuclear Fuel Fund this autumn to support re-instating uranium conversion capability at Springfields and preserving uranium enrichment capacity in Capenhurst.

Engage with allied governments through the Department for International Trade and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to encourage their utilities to switch to UK nuclear fuel supplies.

Facilitate the export viability of a UK alternative to Russian reactors by committing to at least 16 Rolls-Royce SMRs in the UK and raising the UK Export Finance limit so overseas customers can buy UK-flagged reactors.

Ian Liddell-Grainger MP, Chair of the APPG On Nuclear Energy, said:

 “Russia’s position is not a historic accident or the happenstance of market forces. It is the deliberate policy of the Russian state to secure energy leverage over its neighbours and fund its war economy through strategic investments and interventions.

“The Western alliance can only cut the Kremlin’s leverage with coordinated strategic interventions of our own. The UK nuclear sector can and must play its vital part in that endeavour.”

Charlotte Nichols MP, Co-Chair of the APPG on Nuclear Energy, said:

“The Government must back urgent investment in UK nuclear capability because there is a strategic value to cutting Western dependency on Russian energy sources beyond what can be achieved in purely commercial decisions.

“Ministers must assume responsibility for bringing the UK’s world-class industrial capabilities fully to bear in defence of the democratic world.”

Virginia Crosbie MP, Chair of the APPG on Small Modular Reactors and Vice-Chair of the APPG on Nuclear Energy, said:

“The UK, and the entire Western Alliance, have a clear strategic and economic interest in offering Western nuclear technology and expertise to counter the Russian civil nuclear offer. This would slash Kremlin export revenues and energy leverage and bring developing nations toward the democratic rules-based order, rather than authoritarian spheres of influence. To do this, Western countries, including the UK, must match Russia’s offer line by line.”

Mark Menzies, MP for Fylde, covering Springfields, said:

“Springfields is a jewel of the British nuclear industry, and it should play its part in helping our allies free themselves of the Kremlin’s energy. Bringing back conversion at Springfields means our allies can buy British instead of buying Russian and it means jobs and investment in the local community. I hope ministers move swiftly to get this done.”

Chris Matheson, MP for the City of Chester, covering Capenhurst, said:

“We need to take practical, immediate steps to cut Russian exports and help our allies. Investing in uranium enrichment capacity at Capenhurst is an ideal way to do that: our workforce and our community are ready to do our part. We hope the Government is ready too.”

The UK Government must make urgent decisions in this Parliament to restore UK nuclear capacity to at least 10 GW based on deployable technologies by the early 2030s, according to a new report by the Nuclear APPG, Net Zero Needs Nuclear: A Roadmap to 2024. The report argues that decisions are needed to cut emissions and to preserve the UK’s exceptional nuclear skills base, since most of the Britain’s nuclear fleet will retire by March 2024, and all but one station by 2030.

The 10 GW target matches the CCC’s Sixth Carbon Budget and would provide a foundation for a more ambitious expansion of nuclear power in the years to come. The CCC’s recent progress report made it clear that to stay on track for net zero the UK multiple new nuclear stations, in addition to Hinkley Point C, to be operational by the mid-2030s and clarity on financing.

The most important step is for the Government to introduce legislation for a new nuclear financing model. Financing is the costliest part of new construction, so Government support would drive investor confidence and make it cheaper to fund and build new stations.

The report’s 10 recommendations also urge the Government to:

Support Sizewell C to Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2022

Establish the siting and policy framework in 2022 to enable the deployment of a fleet of SMRs and an AMR demonstrator

Government commitment to at least 1 additional Gigawatt-scale nuclear power plant by the middle of 2024 and to enable further Gigawatt-scale development

The report estimates that, if delivered, these steps would create more than 90,000 jobs in the UK and save more than 30 million tonnes of emission per year by 2035.

Without new investment, job losses throughout the supply chain will accelerate to 2030. The UK will lose key capabilities in fuel manufacturing and critical reactor technology expertise. Most of the jobs and capabilities lost would be concentrated in UK regions outside London and the South East, setting back the Government’s levelling up agenda.

The UK would also lose 30% of its indigenous clean power generation. Without a clean, firm power base to stabilise the grid, the UK will have to pay for costly fossil fuels and imported power to cover gaps in generation. By 2035, emissions will be 200 million tonnes higher.

Before any fleet retirements have taken effect, UK emissions are already higher in 2021 than in 2020, the first year on year increase since 2012. As grid demand is expected to surge even as coal is phased out, the UK cannot achieve its climate goals without a strong contribution from nuclear power.

Ian Liddell-Grainger MP, Chair of the APPG, said:

“The nuclear industry delivers for the UK. Here in the South West, we have seen at Hinkley Point C what new nuclear means on the ground: thousands of new jobs, hundreds of new apprenticeships, massive upskilling, and billions of pounds invested into the local economy. I urge the government to embrace this Roadmap to hit our net zero goals and level up the economy.”

Virginia Crosbie MP, Vice-Chair and Secretary of the APPG, said:

“Sites like Wylfa Newydd in my constituency of Ynys Môn are primed for new nuclear investment. Should the Government back a new financing model and take this Roadmap forward, we can begin building the new stations we need. With most of our fleet retiring in three years it is vital that we move forward with sites like Wylfa Newydd”

Charlotte Nichols, Co-Chair of the APPG, said:

“Nuclear means good, well-paid jobs for people across the country, giving the so many communities the opportunities they deserve. If we don’t invest in new capacity, we will lose those opportunities, and the jobs and skills to drive a green recovery. We have to see action now.”

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said:

“Only nuclear can replace nuclear. With urgent action from Government, the industry is ready, willing and able to provide firm power capacity, through large and small reactors designs, to cut emissions and create good jobs across this country. Nuclear technologies alone can produce always-on, low-carbon power, and options for clean heat and hydrogen going forward. With most of our fleet retiring, we need urgent investment in large and small scale nuclear projects to realise the promise of a net zero future.”