> Ministers are preparing to relax planning rules to make it easier to build mini nuclear power plants in more parts of the country in order to hit green energy targets and boost the industry. They are also examining whether it is possible to streamline the process for approving the safety of new nuclear power plants as a way to reduce construction delays.
> At present rules state that only the government may designate sites for potential nuclear power stations, of which there are eight, severely limiting where they can be built. This is seen as a serious barrier to developing small modular reactors (SMRs) that could be placed in various locations across the country, providing power for remote areas or power-hungry developments such as data centres for artificial intelligence. Sir Keir Starmer has already announced the establishment of an AI Energy Council to look at “opportunities to accelerate the development of innovative energy solutions, including small modular reactors in a modern, efficient and sustainable energy system”.
> Under plans to update the planning regime with a new national policy statement on nuclear power, companies would be free to develop SMRs in most areas of the country outside built-up areas and would also benefit from fast-tracked planning approval, as the power plants would be designated nationally significant infrastructure. Britain’s five nuclear power stations, which generate about 6GW in total, powering 13 million homes, are all nearing the end of their lives. Two new nuclear power plants have been approved: Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which is being built; and Sizewell C in Suffolk, which is still at the development stage.
> However, advocates of nuclear power argue that more stations will be needed to meet the government’s net-zero target and see SMRs as a low-cost alternative to conventional plants. They are potentially much cheaper and faster to build and can be deployed in areas unsuitable for traditional nuclear power stations. Given lower cooling demands, reactors that produce 50-70 per cent less power than large-scale plants could be built inland, using rivers and lakes or even cooling towers instead of seawater.
> The previous government launched a consultation on relaxing the planning rules to make it easier to build SMRs but no decision was made before the election was called. Ministers are looking to revive the plans and an announcement is believed to be close. An industry source said that there was a growing realisation in government that a new national policy framework was needed if the UK was not going to be left behind in the race to build and deploy SMRs. “There is a huge opportunity for Britain to be a world leader in SMR technology but only if the government acts fast,” they said. “All the indications are that ministers agree with this.”
> Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, is expected to use the government’s spending review to announce funding for one of two small modular reactors designs. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Rolls-Royce are among companies competing for the funding in a process being run by Great British Nuclear. Reeves is also expected to make a final funding decision on Sizewell C.
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> Ministers are preparing to relax planning rules to make it easier to build mini nuclear power plants in more parts of the country in order to hit green energy targets and boost the industry. They are also examining whether it is possible to streamline the process for approving the safety of new nuclear power plants as a way to reduce construction delays.
> At present rules state that only the government may designate sites for potential nuclear power stations, of which there are eight, severely limiting where they can be built. This is seen as a serious barrier to developing small modular reactors (SMRs) that could be placed in various locations across the country, providing power for remote areas or power-hungry developments such as data centres for artificial intelligence. Sir Keir Starmer has already announced the establishment of an AI Energy Council to look at “opportunities to accelerate the development of innovative energy solutions, including small modular reactors in a modern, efficient and sustainable energy system”.
> Under plans to update the planning regime with a new national policy statement on nuclear power, companies would be free to develop SMRs in most areas of the country outside built-up areas and would also benefit from fast-tracked planning approval, as the power plants would be designated nationally significant infrastructure. Britain’s five nuclear power stations, which generate about 6GW in total, powering 13 million homes, are all nearing the end of their lives. Two new nuclear power plants have been approved: Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which is being built; and Sizewell C in Suffolk, which is still at the development stage.
> However, advocates of nuclear power argue that more stations will be needed to meet the government’s net-zero target and see SMRs as a low-cost alternative to conventional plants. They are potentially much cheaper and faster to build and can be deployed in areas unsuitable for traditional nuclear power stations. Given lower cooling demands, reactors that produce 50-70 per cent less power than large-scale plants could be built inland, using rivers and lakes or even cooling towers instead of seawater.
> The previous government launched a consultation on relaxing the planning rules to make it easier to build SMRs but no decision was made before the election was called. Ministers are looking to revive the plans and an announcement is believed to be close. An industry source said that there was a growing realisation in government that a new national policy framework was needed if the UK was not going to be left behind in the race to build and deploy SMRs. “There is a huge opportunity for Britain to be a world leader in SMR technology but only if the government acts fast,” they said. “All the indications are that ministers agree with this.”
> Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, is expected to use the government’s spending review to announce funding for one of two small modular reactors designs. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Rolls-Royce are among companies competing for the funding in a process being run by Great British Nuclear. Reeves is also expected to make a final funding decision on Sizewell C.
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