Base new Great British Nuclear body in the North, Boris Johnson urged

The Government's new energy security strategy has set out plans to build up to eight new nuclear reactors - approving their construction between now and 2030 - with a new organisation called Great British Nuclear being set up to oversee the development and construction process. The selection process for potential new sites is expected to begin next year.

Boris Johnson said on Thursday that the Government's proposals will "revive the nuclear industry which I’m afraid has been more or less moribund in this country".

A call for Great British Nuclear was initially made by Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.

He said: "Great British Nuclear should be based in the North. We have sector expertise in West Cumbria, the North West, arcing down to North Wales, as well as across to the Nuclear AMRC and fusion capabilities in Sheffield."

That idea has now been backed by Jay Shaw, Programme Director at the University of Sheffield's Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC).

The AMRC helps UK companies win work across the nuclear sector – in new build, operations and decommissioning – and in other high-value manufacturing industries.

Mr Shaw said that it would be sensible to base Great British Nuclear in the North given much of the industry is based in the region already.

"It is a positive announcement and puts the UK on a different footing with a body dedicated to driving large-scale projects. The North is where the skills are - in nuclear, around 90 per cent of the skills are outside of London."

He hailed the wider plans for the nuclear industry which he said could help create extra work for local firms like Sheffield Forgemasters, which is a long-standing supplier to the civil nuclear industry. Around 10,000 construction jobs are expected to be created at the peak of building each new large-scale nuclear reactor site

The Government's strategy involves a big focus on new nuclear, including smaller “modular” reactors, to replace Britain’s ageing fleet, with the Government hoping to get 25 per cent of power supplies from the zero carbon technology by 2050.

That includes an aim to take the decision to go ahead with one project within the next two years and for another two projects in the five years after that, potentially progressing work on up to eight new reactors across those projects by 2030.

The nuclear industry has strongly welcomed the plans, which it says will create tens of thousands of new jobs and help to achieve energy security, but even industry groups acknowledged that new nuclear power stations will take well over a decade to build.

The Nuclear Industry Association said steps are now needed to speed up investment, such as removing barriers to getting projects started, money from a promised fund allocated “at pace” and sites made available for development.

But nuclear power remains relatively expensive, and the Liberal Democrats warned construction of the full eight reactors could add £96 a year to household energy bills.

Mr Shaw said the targets set by the Government were "challenging" but would encourage investment and highlight the need to build and retain skills in the industry.

"I have worked at the Nuclear AMRC since 2011 and we have been calling for the Government to make a decision and support large projects.

"This is really good and ambitious which is great but now we need to see the plan that delivers this strategy and get on with it."

Mr Shaw said Yorkshire had played a key role in the nation's energy generation of the past and now has the opportunity to do so again.

"I grew up in the shadow of Ferrybridge, Eggborough and Drax and I'm acutely aware of the move away from fossil fuel generation and mining. Now our region can help keep the lights on for the next 50 to 60 years."

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