Following publication of the Government’s Net Zero Strategy in October 2021, and the significant role that new nuclear will play in achieving carbon net zero, the Heart of the South West’s nuclear sector lead, Corinne Matthews, attended the Nuclear Manufacturing Summit on 16 and 17 November.
Held at the University of Sheffield’s Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the Summit’s discussion themes explored how manufacturers involved in the construction of nuclear plants can work together to innovate and develop solutions to overcome the challenges of lengthy lead times and high expense to getting more reactors onstream.
There has been a renewed focus on nuclear as a clean fuel. Alongside wind power, nuclear is considered the lowest carbon electricity source on earth with by far the smallest land footprint of any green energy source. The UK Government has already indicated that it intends to secure a final investment decision on a large-scale nuclear plant by the end of this parliament.
The Summit attendees discussed how the gap between where the UK supply chain is today, and where it needs to be, can be bridged. From current gigawatt-scale projects to new designs of small and advanced modular reactor, along with continuing opportunities in the decommissioning and defence sectors, the scale of market demand will stretch the nuclear supply chain’s capabilities and capacity to the limit. Experts were also on hand to provide advice and support for supply chain companies already working in nuclear, and those looking to get into the sector.
The renewed focus on nuclear has the potential to be of huge benefit to many companies in the South West as the next new nuclear reactors coming on stream is at Hinkley Point in Somerset. The Nuclear Sector Lead attended the summit to raise the profile of the regional nuclear eco-systems that exist in the LEP area to support the economic development transformational opportunities as a key ingredient of the Government’s Levelling up agenda.