SC@nuclear
Manufacturing a Nuclear Future
Saturday 19 May 2012
The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) is the trade association and representative voice of Britain's civil nuclear industry. It represents more than 270 companies and some 59,000 UK nuclear workers. The NIA supports the commercial interests of its member as part of a diverse energy mix for the UK including renewables, clean coal and gas, with nuclear at the heart of a low-carbon future.

UK Government welcomes new nuclear build report

The Government welcomed a report by Lancaster University focussing on securing the success of new nuclear build in the UK. 

A team from the University's Engineering Department studied six projects including Sizewell B, and new nuclear build at Sanmen and Haiyang in China to learn lessons which can be applied to future projects in the UK.  

Their report, Nuclear Lessons Learned, was commissioned by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), on behalf of Engineering the Future, with support from the Office for Nuclear Development (OND). 

The Government has already confirmed eight potential sites for new nuclear power stations, with the first estimated to be working by 2018. 

Professor Malcolm Joyce, Head of the Engineering Department at Lancaster said: “Recent and current nuclear-build projects provide valuable insight into how these large-scale engineering projects are best accomplished, and this report aims to present this in a clear and transparent form”.  

Five high level common lessons that can be applied to the current and future UK new build programme to help ensure smooth and economically efficient delivery were identified:

  • Follow-on replica stations are cheaper than first-of-a-kind
  • Designs should be mature and licensing issues resolved prior to construction
  • A highly qualified design and planning team is essential
  • Sub contractors used must be experienced or taught nuclear-specific construction skills
  • Early and effective engagement with the community is crucial  

Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Rt Hon Charles Hendry MP said: “We are very pleased to have commissioned this work on lessons learned for nuclear new build. The report will help all project stakeholders to understand and limit risk, and to minimise potential overruns and delays, which are both expensive and reduce public confidence." 

“Nuclear power will be crucial in ensuring we decarbonise our electricity supply and reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050. We are fully supportive of new nuclear power in the UK but will not be subsidising it. We are under no illusions however, that to attract the inward investment necessary will require significant commitment from Government.” 

Spokesperson for Engineering the Future and chair of the report steering group John Earp said: “We hope that providing industry and the supply chain with clear and accessible information on lessons learned in the past will enable the upcoming UK new build programme to be delivered to time, cost and quality ensuring reliable nuclear generated electricity and helping to meet UK climate change targets for many years to come.”

To download a complete copy of the report please click here or visit the Digital Library

 
All Content © Copyright Nuclear Industry Association 2012. All rights reserved
Site Designed and Devloped by Activate Media
nuclear - part of the solution