NIA welcomes U.K. government's new investment in nuclear energy sector

The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) issued a statement praising the recent financial commitment made by the U.K. government to its nuclear sector.

“We asked for a review which balanced short-term need with long-term gain,” NIA CEO Keith Parker said. “Our call for an increase in nuclear R&D to protect the future of the industry, and put the U.K. back as a global leader in nuclear development, is warmly welcomed, as is maintaining the essential work to decommission the UK’s nuclear legacy."

The NIA said the government's decision to maintain the budget for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will continue programs that add value for taxpayers. The agency said cuts would have resulted in stopping projects, then restarting them later.

“The industry’s focus is on delivering the current large-scale new-build projects that are essential to the UK’s energy security and transition to a low-carbon economy,” Parker said. “The funding for Small Modular Reactor research is welcomed and will benefit not just the U.K. nuclear supply chain, but also UK-plc and energy security.”

The NIA did raise concerns over the lack of funding for development of a program that would facilitate the reuse of plutonium stockpiled by the U.K.