It should become quicker to develop and operate a nuclear power plant in the UK under the terms of an agreement the UK government has formed with the US.
Michael Freeman of Pinsent Masons, an expert in nuclear projects and regulation, welcomed the details published in relation to the US-UK ‘technology prosperity deal’ but said nuclear operators and prospective investors in the sector will want to see the detail of what is planned.
“Unleashing civil nuclear energy” is one focus of the new deal, according to a ‘memorandum of understanding’ (MoU) agreed by both governments. The document refers to the world being at “the dawn of a golden nuclear age” and details how the US and UK governments intend to collaborate to support new nuclear technologies – including advanced nuclear reactors, advanced nuclear fuels, and fusion energy – as well as reduce regulatory burdens and support the nuclear supply chain.
Among other things, the governments said they intend to collaborate on supporting US and UK regulators “to streamline and accelerate licensing”. They said they want to reduce reactor design reviews down to completion within two years, deliver site licensing within one year, and accelerate environmental permitting.
Freeman said: “The principles and commitments set out in the US-UK deal will be welcomed by supply chains on both sides of the Atlantic.”
“The ambition of streamlining and expediting regulatory processes for nuclear projects has been a topic of much debate within the international nuclear sector for several years, and state-level collaboration like this is undoubtedly the first step towards the realisation of more efficient consenting processes which do not erode standards of safety or environmental protection. However, more clarity is needed to encourage further supply chain stimulation and investor confidence – clarity on how regulatory streamlining might be realised through policy or legislative change, and how any such proposals might sit with the anticipated recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce and final nuclear siting framework in EN-7, the national policy statement for nuclear energy generation,” he said.
The US and UK government said they intend to lead a “global fusion energy market” and do so by developing “harmonised, responsible, pro-innovation policy and regulation”. They further plan on coordinating on research into how data and AI might enable “cost-competitive fusion power plants” to be operated.
Among other measures, the two countries intend to work together to explore how “advanced nuclear energy” might be deployed in new ways, including potentially in shipping, while on nuclear fuels, the US and UK said they want to ensure “a secure and reliable supply chain for advanced nuclear fuels in both countries” and achieve “full independence from Russian nuclear fuel by the end of 2028”. To do this, they said they plan “coordinated action to ensure a diverse supply of commercially available advanced fuels to support our advanced reactor programs”.
According to the MoU, the two countries are further intent on “advancing global markets” in advanced fission reactors and fuels, and playing a leading role in those markets, as well as “championing safe and secure deployment of civil nuclear exports in third countries”.
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