Roadmap sets out how UK will increase nuclear generation by up to 4 times to 24GW by 2050
The government today outlines plans for the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years to reduce electricity bills, support thousands of jobs and improve UK energy security – including exploring building a major new power station and investing in advanced nuclear fuel production.
In the 2 years since Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the government has doubled down on security of supply to protect the country from price volatility and hostile foreign regimes and bolster the UK’s energy independence.
The Civil Nuclear Roadmap will give industry certainty of the future direction of the UK’s ambitious nuclear programme, on top of the government’s historic commitment to Sizewell C and world-leading competition to develop small modular reactor (SMR) technology.
The roadmap sets out how the UK will increase generation of this homegrown supply of clean, reliable, and abundant energy by up to 4 times to 24 gigawatts (GW) by 2050 – enough to provide a quarter of the UK’s electricity needs.
The plans include next steps for exploring a GW-scale power plant as big as Sizewell in Suffolk or Hinkley in Somerset, which are capable of powering 6 million homes each.
The government will also invest up to £300 million in UK production of the fuel required to power high-tech new nuclear reactors, known as HALEU, currently only commercially produced in Russia.
As the first country in Europe to launch a HALEU programme, the UK will lead the way from its North West production hub to provide the world with this form of uranium fuel, with the first plant aiming to be operational early in the next decade. This builds on the ambition to return uranium conversion to the Springfields nuclear fuel site, both of which are critical to pushing Putin out of the global market.
An additional £10 million will be provided to develop the skills and sites needed to produce other advanced nuclear fuels in the UK, helping to secure long term domestic nuclear fuel supply and support our allies.
The roadmap also includes a government ambition to secure 3 – 7GW worth of investment decisions every 5 years from 2030 to 2044 on new nuclear projects.
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, said:
Plans to streamline the development of new power stations and introduce smarter regulation could speed up the overall process and, as a result, the delivery of nuclear power in the UK. This includes allowing regulators to assess projects while designs are finalised, and better join-up with overseas regulators assessing the same technology.
Ministers will bring together the brightest and best from the nuclear industry and beyond as part of a ‘hackathon’ event to come up with ideas on how government and industry can accelerate new nuclear projects, while maintaining the highest levels of safety and security.
These plans will help build new supplies of affordable and clean domestic power so the transition to net zero doesn’t mean higher prices, protecting households from global instability.
The government is also today publishing 2 consultations, one on a new approach to siting future nuclear power stations and another on supporting the sector and encouraging private investment to roll out advanced nuclear projects. The proposals will attract investment in the UK nuclear sector by empowering developers to find suitable sites rather than focusing on 8 designated by government. Community engagement will remain critical to any decisions, alongside maintaining robust criteria such as nearby population densities.
Following its launch last year, Great British Nuclear (GBN) will drive the UK’s nuclear ambitions forward, including through the game-changing SMR competition which will soon invite short-listed companies to tender.
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. Alongside large gigawatt power stations, SMRs will play a key role in delivering on the expansion of UK nuclear capacity.
As well as powering homes, innovations in the nuclear sector could provide direct heat for industry, energy for green hydrogen production, and medical isotopes for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Analysis by the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group suggests that to reach up to 24GW, the civil and defence nuclear workforce will need to double over the next 20 years – supporting around 80,000 additional skilled jobs across the UK.
The Nuclear Skills Taskforce will shortly set out plans to meet the demand of an industry - already worth £6 billion to the British economy - which is likely to include increasing the numbers of graduates and apprentices and attracting mid-careerists with relevant skills and expertise.
Minister for Nuclear Andrew Bowie said:
The roadmap will also confirm plans for decommissioning to make sure they remain suitable for new nuclear technologies and protect future generations from bearing the costs.
Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of Nuclear Industry Association, said:
Sue Ferns, Senior Deputy General Secretary of Prospect trade union, said:
Babcock’s CEO for Nuclear Harry Holt said:
Carol Tansley, Vice President of UK New Build Projects at X-energy, said:
Gwen Parry-Jones, CEO of Great British Nuclear said:
Chris O’Shea, Group Chief Executive, Centrica, said:
Dr Fiona Rayment OBE FNucI, President of the Nuclear Institute, commented:
Andrew Murdoch, UK Managing Director of Advanced Modular Rector, newcleo, said: