Investment in nuclear R&D key to UK success

The UK can only be a competitive player in the global nuclear market if the government commits to a program of research and development (R&D) aimed at advanced reactor and fuel cycle technologies, as well as developing a skilled workforce, the Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB) suggests.

NIRAB was established in January 2014 to advise ministers, government departments and agencies on issues related to nuclear research and innovation in the UK. It has now published its first annual report, summarizing the work carried out during 2014 and setting out recommendations to the government.

"It is disappointing that the government has not been able to allocate the funds necessary to enable a program of R&D to commence this coming year.”

Sue Ion
Chair of NIRAB

The board said its main focus has been to identify where investment is urgently needed to address current gaps in funding, specifically in areas not addressed by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Research Councils and Innovate UK - an executive non-departmental public body that manages funding competition programs for innovation across a range of areas.

NIRAB said it has identified and made recommendations on three key areas for R&D: nuclear fuel fabrication; advanced reactor development; and recycling and waste management.

Its report says the UK should invest in the development and manufacture of the next generation of safer, accident tolerant and more efficient fuels. In addition, NIRAB says investment should be made in the design and manufacture of significant reactor components for small modular reactors (SMRs) and Generation IV reactors. "Success would secure a share in the global market forecast to see an investment of $1.2 trillion by 2030," it said. NIRAB also calls for investment in R&D into advanced recycle and waste management technologies.

NIRAB noted, "It is crucial these areas of research are supplemented with investment in R&D in a number of enabling technologies such as remote handling and modelling and simulation which in themselves also offer commercial opportunities for exploitation by industry once developed."

It recommends that a program of R&D across the range of priority areas it has identified is "put in place as a matter of urgency". NIRAB estimates that R&D funding of some GBP 50 million ($77 million) per year is required "to establish the UK at the top table of nuclear R&D nations".

NIRAB chair Sue Ion said, "NIRAB has focused on identifying targeted R&D interventions which will both yield long term opportunities for our industry and secure the skills base. Reinvigorating our high end skills across the fuel cycle will not only enable us to make informed choices to decide our own nuclear future, it will help our companies attract and develop the scientists and engineers who will lead future advances in technologies that will see the UK back at the top table of nuclear nations."

She added, "It is disappointing that, even though NIRAB's advice was welcomed by ministers, the government has not been able to allocate the funds necessary to enable a program of R&D to commence this coming year. The emphasis must now shift to 2015 as the government sets out the budget for the next parliament."

NIRAB said that during 2015 it will "further develop and strengthen its case for its recommendations." It will work with government to "prioritise leverage gained from international collaboration", as well as targeting efficiency review of existing public sector R&D and identifying where further investment in safety and security related R&D may be appropriate.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News