NUVIA UK | ADVERTORIAL FEATURE


Energy Security is National Security: A blueprint for sovereign resilience


Tom Jones, CEO, NUVIA UK, shares his perspective on energy sovereignty, industrial capability and the role of nuclear technologies in securing the UK’s future.


IN RECENT DECADES, THE ENERGY DEBATE has been dominated by two issues: cost and carbon reduction. But the disruption to global energy markets following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, compounded by ongoing instability in the Middle East, has exposed a profound strategic vulnerability. Energy dependence is no longer merely an economic variable, it is a critical matter for national security. Energy sovereignty is the ability of the United Kingdom


to maintain resilience and domestic industrial capacity through unpredictable global shocks, that are becoming increasingly frequent. When we rely too heavily on imported fuels or volatile international markets, decisions taken elsewhere can rapidly affect households, industry and public services at home. That demands diversity. Too often, the debate pits one technology against another. A resilient system requires a diverse portfolio: large-scale nuclear, small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced modular reactors (AMRs), renewables, and fusion.


From individual projects to an enduring programme Large-scale nuclear will remain central to the UK’s future energy mix, but it must be accompanied by a credible programme for modular nuclear. Small modular reactors could shift nuclear development from a series of one-off projects towards a more standardised, repeatable programme. A standardised approach can give businesses greater confidence to invest in facilities, equipment and people. It can also create transferable skills and regional supply chain opportunities. The UK Government’s Advanced Nuclear Framework identifies regulation, planning, skills, supply chain and fuel among the conditions needed for projects to succeed.


Energy security is also industrial security Advanced modular reactors broaden the opportunity further. The UK’s AMR programme has focused on high- temperature gas reactors, with potential applications including low-carbon hydrogen production, industrial process heat and electricity generation. This could give energy-intensive industries access to dependable low- carbon power and heat. AMRs could therefore support both energy resilience and a more productive, reindustrialised economy. However, funding models, commercial pathways and delivery capability must be developed before demand becomes urgent. Waiting until these technologies are required at scale would be waiting too long.


Turning fusion leadership into industrial capability Fusion sits on a longer time horizon, with construction of the UK’s STEP prototype power plant expected to start from 2030 and be completed by 2040. However, the decisions


being taken now will shape the UK’s position in the future fusion industry. The UK has considerable scientific and technical strengths in fusion. Yet scientific leadership does not by itself create an enduring industry. Infrastructure, regulation, specialist skills, supply chains and programme delivery capacity cannot be assembled overnight. The UK’s 2026 Fusion Strategy recognises this wider


challenge, placing emphasis on commercialisation, investment, supply chains and skills alongside research and technology development. Programmes such as STEP matter not only because of the technology they aim to demonstrate, but because they create a practical environment in which organisations and people learn how to design, integrate, construct and ultimately operate fusion infrastructure. Fusion is both an energy opportunity and a sovereignty opportunity.


The real constraint is capability Large reactors, SMRs, AMRs and fusion differ significantly, but their delivery depends on a common foundation: safety, science, engineering, construction in regulated environments, programme integration, lifecycle planning and a skilled, dependable supply chain. Government and industry should view fission, modular nuclear and fusion as a shared, multi- generational capability agenda. Skills developed in one programme can reinforce another, supporting construction today, safe operation tomorrow and decommissioning decades later. This also requires a broader view of value. The success of a nuclear or fusion programmes should not be measured solely at the point when electricity first reaches the grid. It should also be judged by whether it strengthens domestic expertise, creates durable career paths, supports regional economies and leaves the UK better able to deliver the next project. The UK Government’s recent changes to public procurement recognise this wider responsibility by introducing greater weighting for local benefits, including high-quality jobs, training, apprenticeships and work placements. The energy sovereignty agenda is about more than electricity; it is about the long-term survival and prosperity of the UK as an industrial power. In an unpredictable world, energy


resilience depends on decisions that outlast political cycles. The UK is now armed with the political will, a pipeline of programmes, and significant efforts to streamline regulation. It is now time for the developers and supply chains to deliver against the imperative of much needed capacity. Our combined capabilities across fission, modular nuclear and fusion can protect the UK from volatile global markets, but only if we move at pace to turn ambition into delivery and plans into power. ■


www.neimagazine.com | October 2026 | 23


Tom Jones, CEO, NUVIA UK


The next generation delivering new nuclear.


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