COUNTRY PAVILLIONS | WNE2025 United Kingdom: A momentous year for nuclear
It has been quite the year for nuclear in the UK, with optimism high after a succession of announcements and positive signals from government. By James Barker, Nuclear Institute
Global economic, energy and security issues are high on the agenda and nuclear offers a solution in all these areas. The UK Government has recognised this and has now committed to building Sizewell C in the South East of England, a second gigawatt scale reactor after Hinkley Point C. This will complement the construction of the UK’s first small modular reactors (SMRs) by Rolls Royce. Whilst no sites for deployment have been announced to date, the company based in the Midlands is also working on export opportunities for SMR in Europe, first in Czechia. It has also been a significant year for the defence sector, with national security becoming more and more prominent in the global context. Up to 12 new nuclear submarines will be constructed as part of AUKUS programme in cooperation with Australia and the USA. This is expected to create 30,000 new highly-skilled jobs across the country, including the doubling of apprentice and graduate roles across the next ten years. As well as cooperation on defence, the US President’s State
Visit to the UK in September led to the announcement of the ‘Tech Prosperity Deal’ between the UK and the USA. This involved several high-profile companies to develop various nuclear technologies for purposes including powering data centres. To support this, the Nuclear Institute and the American Nuclear Society (ANS) have agreed a partnership to offer reciprocal membership to their communities, allowing members of both professional membership organisations to enjoy shared benefits and promote mobility across the countries’ respective industries. We have also recently been part of discussions for Franco- British collaboration in the nuclear sector. Our President-elect and CEO were part of a delegation of key stakeholders who met
with Vincent Berger, High Commissioner for Atomic Energy in September. This was an incredibly productive afternoon with further discussions expected to follow.
The role of the Nuclear Institute We are committed to championing professionalism and innovation within the nuclear sector, and strengthening our position at the heart of the UK’s thriving nuclear community. Latest figures show the UK nuclear workforce is approaching
100,000. With our organisational membership up 70% since 2022 and individual membership rising 20% in 2024 alone, we are growing in tandem with the sector, ensuring members remain at the forefront of these changes. And our members are optimistic about the future. In the summer, a survey of our members found that 84.5% of respondents are very or somewhat optimistic about the industry’s prospects. Robert Gofton, CEO of the Nuclear Institute, agrees: “The UK
has a proud legacy in nuclear, having been a global leader in nuclear energy since the late 1950s, and we are encouraged to see that our members are optimistic about the future, just as we are. “The nuclear industry provides jobs about twice the gross
value added per worker of the national average, across both energy and defence. It’s an industry that delivers great things for our country and with huge opportunity for future growth.” Our commitment to connecting members has never been
stronger. Regional Branches continue to host networking events, site visits, and seminars, fostering collaboration across the UK. Our Young Generation Network also continues to thrive, recently welcoming over 650 early career professionals to Edinburgh for their annual conference. Such a gathering in Scotland, where new nuclear is currently banned, should be a clear signal to policymakers that our sector cannot be ignored when it comes to energy security. Our Special Interest Groups,
Above: Sizewell C, a second gigawatt scale reactor after Hinkley Point C, will complement the construction of the UK’s first small modular reactors
such as those focused on nuclear security, SMRs, digital and AI, are well-positioned to support members in navigating industry advancements, offering forums for knowledge sharing and collaboration. With backing of policymakers, optimism in the UK nuclear sector is high. But we are under no illusion that the job has only just started if ambitious targets are to be met. It is now time for the sector to deliver.
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