Nuclear regulation in the Ƶ needs to be reformed to speed up projects and make them less expensive to deliver, an independent taskforce has said.
Overly complex regulation has contributed to the “relative decline” in the country’s leadership position in nuclear on the global stage, according to the final report of the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce.
The expert group said changes could cut energy costs for consumers.
It comes after an announcement last week that household energy bills are set to rise by 0.2% from January 1 after Ofgem increased its next price cap – a change which took into account Government policy and operating costs, including funding the Sizewell C nuclear project, which is thought to add around £1 a month to bills.
The taskforce also estimated reforms could save tens of billions from the current £150bn projected cost of decommissioning legacy nuclear activities.
They said a “radical reset” is needed as they set out 47 recommendations for the Government to speed up building new nuclear projects at a lower cost and on schedule.
One of their recommendations is to establish a “one-stop shop” for decisions on nuclear and simplifying regulation to avoid overly bureaucratic and expensive processes while improving safety standards.
They also called on the Government to provide a “robust strategic direction” for the civil and defence nuclear sectors; recommended that a Commission for Nuclear Regulation is established as a unified decision maker; and that the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator be merged into the Office for Nuclear Regulation.
The Chancellor is set to welcome the need for reforms and will respond to the report at the Budget this week, according to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Taskforce chairman John Fingleton said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The problems are systemic, rooted in unnecessary complexity and a mindset that favours process over outcome.
“Our solutions are radical but necessary. By simplifying regulation, we can maintain or enhance safety standards while finally delivering nuclear capacity safely, quickly and affordably.”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “This Government is delivering a golden age of new nuclear as we drive for energy sovereignty and abundance.
“A crucial part of that is delivering the reforms we need to drive forward new nuclear in a safe, affordable way.”
Earlier this month, the Government announced that the Ƶ’s first “small modular reactor” (SMR) nuclear power station will be built at Wylfa, on Anglesey/Ynys Mon in North Wales, by publicly owned Great British Energy-Nuclear (GBE-N).
The Energy Department said GBE-N will start activity on the site in 2026, with an initial project for three reactors, but the site could potentially hold up to eight of the mini power plants.
It is hoped the Wylfa reactors will start supplying power to the grid from the mid-2030s.
Officials also said there would be export opportunities for SMRs, and potential for new nuclear at the former site of Oldbury, in Gloucestershire, owned by GBE-N.
