Nuclear opportunities

A new era is opening for the nuclear power industry in the UK. Last July’s parliamentary ratification of the National Policy Statements for energy confirmed plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations.

Under the streamlined planning process for major infrastructure projects, the first of a series of nuclear power stations - Hinkley Point C - could be under construction as soon as next year and fully operational six years later. Three consortia, EDF Energy-Centrica, Horizon and NuGen, plan a total of six stations by 2027.

This is a huge source of optimism for an industry that employs 60,000 people directly, with thousands more in its supply chain, but which without new-build was predicted to shrink by half by 2025. Instead, the new-build programme is expected to create up to 30,000 jobs - 5,000 at each site - over the 15 years of construction.