Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told Britain’s nuclear bosses to slash red tape and take a more “proportionate” approach to risk in a “radical reset” of the industry.
The Labour Government announced it will implement an overhaul of planning and regulation for the sector, saying this will reduce bureaucratic hurdles and “deliver a golden age of nuclear and boost UK energy sovereignty”.
The changes, recommended by the independent Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce, will help simplify the building of new nuclear projects, which are set to be a cornerstone of the UK’s path to net zero.
The taskforce was set up because the Government felt current regulations were delaying vital projects.
John Fingleton, who leads the taskforce, found that an “overly complex” and “bureaucratic” system had held the industry back.
However, the Government has now said it will implement all of his findings by the end of 2027, “reducing the cost and timeframe of delivering new civil and defence nuclear projects without compromising safety and environmental protections”.
Ms Reeves stressed that safety remained the priority, saying: “A new approach will not dilute the UK’s commitment to nuclear safety; it will enable resources to be focused on the most significant risks.”
But she also wrote to CEOs and regulatory heads within the industry to tell them “to treat nuclear programme delivery as a national priority”.
She asked them to consider what changes they were making to their systems to improve “pace, proportionality and coordination, especially measures which will adopt a more proportionate approach to risks that are already within robust legal limits”.
Ms Reeves told them to address issues including “gold plating” – where regulations are imposed beyond the required standard.
Rachel Reeves wrote to CEOs and regulatory heads within the industry to tell them ‘to treat nuclear programme delivery as a national priority’
|
GETTY
And the Chancellor said they should check if those in charge of risk management were capable of making “proportionate judgements on acceptable risk”.
She wrote: “I am asking you to rigorously review your internal processes, incentives and performance management approach to identify where complexity, delay, or uncertainty can be reduced, and to ensure that responsibility for decision-making is understood and supported by clear timelines and effective oversight.
“Please assess the way your organisation approaches risk management and challenge yourselves on whether those responsible for risk management are properly equipped and empowered to make proportionate judgements on acceptable risk, or if the location or mandate of those decision-makers should change.
“The Government has an active interest in the performance and speed of the system as a whole. Delay is not a neutral outcome; it carries its own risks.
“The Government will support you in making prompt, well-reasoned, evidence-based decisions, including where those decisions involve managed risk.”
Regulators said they were ready to implement the “cultural and practical changes needed to safely deliver nuclear projects more efficiently and effectively in support of the country’s clean energy goals”.
However, the taskforce made a raft of recommendations, including a clear nuclear strategy and for planning laws to be streamlined.
The taskforce made a raft of recommendations, including a clear nuclear strategy and for planning laws to be streamlined
|
PA
The rules affect the entire nuclear industry, from power plants to the UK’s nuclear deterrence.
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero said its plan is to “move towards smarter regulation: proportionate, focused on real risk, rooted in evidence, and designed to effectively protect nature and biodiversity”.
It added: “This plan will support safe, cost-effective, and rapid delivery across the entire civil and defence nuclear enterprise.”
The plan was described as a “win-win for building critical infrastructure while protecting nature and the environment”.
The Government also announced fresh funding to create an army of skilled workers in the nuclear sector.
More than 500 doctoral students – a four-fold increase on today’s intake – will be trained at universities across the country.
Backing of £65million has been given to seven research programmes across the country, “investing in the next generation of scientists and engineers to support the clean energy mission and the nuclear deterrent”.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband welcomed the news, saying it would help both the UK’s energy security and the natural world
|
PA
The programmes will look at issues including advanced nuclear reactor components.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband welcomed the news, saying it would help both the UK’s energy security and the natural world.
He added: “As the current Middle East conflict shows, we need to go further and faster to build the clean energy we need to get off volatile fossil fuel markets and deliver energy security for our country.
“A crucial part of this is ensuring that we speed up the building of infrastructure in a way that reduces costs as well as delivering better outcomes for nature.”
Ms Reeves also said: “To build national resilience, drive energy security and deliver economic growth, we need nuclear.
“That’s why we’re overhauling the system, getting rid of duplicative or overly complex guidance, rules and regulations that have been holding back our nuclear ambitions.
“In a new era of global uncertainty, this government’s economic plan is the right one. Through stability, investment, and reform we are building a stronger and more secure economy.”
The nuclear power industry is expected to adopt changes
|
PAThe news was also praised by Defence Secretary John Healey, who said nuclear weapons were the “bedrock” of our defence.
The Defence Nuclear Enterprise, a partnership that oversees the deterrent, is expected to support 65,000 jobs by 2030.
Mr Healey said: “Our commitment to operate, sustain, and renew our nuclear deterrent is total and these reforms will enable us to accelerate our work, supporting tens of thousands of skilled jobs and driving growth in every corner of the nation.
“Our deterrent is deployed every minute of every day to protect our nation, our allies and way of life. It is a truly national endeavour that has existed for over 60 years – the bedrock of our nation’s defence and the cornerstone of our commitment to Nato and global security.”
Mike Finnerty, Chief Nuclear Inspector and Chief Executive of the Office for Nuclear Regulation, said: “We embrace this new era with ambition and purpose while maintaining our cornerstone principles of upholding the safety and security of workers and the public, which is at the heart of everything we do.”
Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, of the GMB union, said: “Nuclear power is essential to deliver our energy independence and achieve net zero. In these turbulent times the need to build strong energy infrastructure is crystal clear.
“Our members stand ready to build the next generation of nuclear power right across the UK.”