Great British Nuclear announced by UK Government

The new body was launched alongside a small modular reactor (SMR) competition.

Energy Security Secretary, Grant Shapps, has launched Great British Nuclear (GBN) with the aim to boost the ongoing revival in UK nuclear energy; reinforcing the aim to provide up to a quarter of the UK’s electricity from homegrown nuclear energy by 2050 and boost the economy by providing cheap wholesale electricity and supporting jobs across the country.

A SMR competition has also been launched, which will see companies registering their SMR projects with GBN to secure funding for product development.

Simon Bowen, interim chair of GBN says, ‘GBN is core to delivering the government’s new nuclear programme.’

This all comes against the backdrop of the work done at nuclear power stations Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. It is hoped that GBN will contribute towards the role of further large gigawatt-scale nuclear power plants in the UK.

The Government has also announced a grant funding package, totalling up to £157mln, split over the following:

• Funding for companies to accelerate advanced nuclear business development in the UK and support advanced nuclear designs to enter UK regulation.
• Further development and design of a type of advanced modular reactor and next generation fuel.
• The Nuclear Fuel Fund, which will enable eight projects to develop new fuel production and manufacturing capabilities in the UK.