Government 'must find new nuclear sites and speed up reactor approval'

The government must identify new sites for nuclear power stations and help quicken the approval of reactors to help the sector thrive, a report has said.

The IMechE report, Nuclear Power: A Future Pathway for the UK, says the government should hold an independent review of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process, a necessary step for the approval of any reactor in the UK. The review is needed to prevent unnecessary costs and enable the faster approval of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), the IMechE report said.

Other “key actions” include adding nuclear construction skills to the shortage occupation list ahead of Brexit – allowing experienced workers from overseas to enter the UK ­­– and running a new Strategic Siting Assessment to identify further nuclear sites beyond Hinkley Point C's potential completion in 2025, including locations for SMRs.

“The delays and escalating costs of the Hinkley Point C project have provoked a public backlash in recent years against nuclear power,” said Jenifer Baxter, lead author of the report and head of energy and environment at the IMechE. “Yet as a reliable and relatively low-carbon source of electricity, it makes sense for nuclear to form a greater part of the UK’s future energy mix, reducing our reliance on coal and gas.”

The key challenge to the nuclear sector is reducing costs and delays, she said. An independent review of the assessment process will make it easier to approve SMRs and ensure unnecessary costs are not incurred, she added. “SMRs present a lower-cost option, with comparatively straightforward construction and, potentially, a more attractive investment proposition than conventional larger-scale nuclear plants.”

More licensed sites are needed around the country to make the most of SMRs, said Andrew Storer, CEO of the University of Sheffield's Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to Professional Engineering.

The GDA process is "extremely rigorous.... but with good reason," he added. However, he said: "An independent review would be welcome to see if the process could be streamlined without compromising the UK's very high regulatory standards."

The government is consulting on potential sites for nuclear power stations beyond 2025, a spokeswoman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said. She added that the government is aiming for “maximum continuity” with the safety and research Euratom Treaty, which the UK is withdrawing from as part of Brexit.

“We remain committed to having world class non-proliferation arrangements with our nuclear safeguarding and safety regime continuing to be forward-looking,” she added. “Our nuclear R&D expertise will remain pride of place, and we will aim to put in place the nuclear trade arrangements that will allow our nuclear programme to excel.”