Forward with fission

Increasing the safety and reliability of nuclear power as a solution for satisfying energy needs is the challenge addressed by a new initiative announced today.

The £6.1 million Keeping the Nuclear Option Open programme will investigate how nuclear power can become a more appealing option for future energy production.

The initiative was announced today at the launch of Imperial College London's Energy Futures Lab, which aims to play a major role in setting the energy agenda over the next 20 to 50 years.

Proponents see nuclear power as an increasingly attractive option for combating climate change because it is a low carbon alternative to burning fossil fuels. The Imperial College-led initiative will examine issues such as how nuclear reactor systems function, how reactors are monitored and how reactor waste can be dealt with.

The researchers hope that the four-year project will help increase the acceptability of nuclear power as an alternative source of energy and maintain the UK's expertise in nuclear technology.