NuGen appoints chief executive

Tom Samson takes over from interim chief executive Sandy Rupprecht

NuGen, the UK's new nuclear build developer, has announced that Tom Samson will take over as chief executive to lead the company's Moorside Project. 

Samson is currently chief operating officer at Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), based in Abu Dhabi, where he has helped develop the company delivering new nuclear units at Barakah, which will supply up to 25% of the Emirate's electricity by 2020.

UK-born Samson completed his Bachelor of Engineering studies at Edinburgh's Napier University in 1990 and began his career in Manchester at GEC Alstom as a design engineer working on CCGT power plants before joining Marubeni Corporation, where he has undertaken a number of leadership roles in energy and infrastructure projects in the US, Caribbean, UAE and Europe.

He takes over from interim chief executive Sandy Rupprecht, who successfully developed and concluded the negotiations that led to Toshiba and ENGIE (formerly GDF SUEZ) becoming new owners of NuGen in 2014.

NuGen's Chairman, Shigenori Shiga, said: "We warmly welcome Tom Samson to NuGen. He has a strong track record in project development and successful project delivery in the power sector, a wealth of experience of working in a multinational environment and cross cultures, longterm vision and strong leadership. We are confident his expertise and experience will advance our exciting project."  

The Moorside Project, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe, aims to build three reactors capable of producing 7% of the UK's future electricity at the site, to the north and west of Sellafield, West Cumbria.  

The company entered a first-stage public consultation as part of its Development Consent Order work, and is consulting with the general public at 22 venues across Cumbria between May and July.