Nuclear AMRC hails new sector deal
10 Jul 2018
Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) CEO Andrew Storer has welcomed the new nuclear sector deal as a “landmark agreement between government and industry”.
Designed to ensure the sector is cost competitive with other forms of low carbon technology and to support the UK’s Clean Growth Strategy, the policy is intended to promote innovative manufacturing.
This will include reducing the costs of building new reactors in order to develop supply chain capability and skills.
Said Storer: “This deal will benefit manufacturers in all parts of the nuclear supply chain and maximise the economic opportunity from clean growth.”
Our work will be central to the national effort to create or sustain up to 12,500 jobs across the UK, and secure up to £2 billion domestic and international contracts
Andrew Storer, CEO, Nuclear AMRC
He predicted it would reduce barriers to entry for manufacturers moving into nuclear from other sectors including oil and gas.
“As well as supporting the deal’s headline cost reductions of 30% in nuclear new build and 20% in decommissioning, our work will be central to the national effort to create or sustain up to 12,500 jobs across the UK, and secure up to £2 billion domestic and international contracts by 2030.”
He said that the organisation was working with international partners including the United Arab Emirates and South Korea, as well as global reactor vendors to identify export opportunities for the UK supply chain.
The new £200 million nuclear sector deal includes £32 million from government and industry to kick-start a new advanced manufacturing programme, including R&D investment and up to £30 million for a new national supply chain programme.
The agreement also aims to boost gender diversity with a target of 40% women working in the civil nuclear sector by 2030.
