News: Government commits to Nuclear AMRC
An industrial strategy, developed by government and industry, has been published to enable the UK to seize the opportunities for economic growth in the nuclear industry.
The strategy commits the government to continued funding for research and development, innovation and skills, including ongoing support for the Nuclear AMRC in Rotherham.
Over the next two decades it is forecast that globally there will be £930 billion investment in building new reactors and £250 billion in decommissioning those that are coming off line. The nuclear new build programme in the UK alone could generate up to 40,000 jobs in the sector at its peak. The nuclear industrial strategy sets out the basis for a long-term partnership between government and industry to exploit those opportunities.
The Nuclear AMRC on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham is a joint initiative between the University of Sheffield, The University of Manchester, and a consortium of industry partners led by Rolls-Royce. It provides a focal point for the bulk of the UK civil nuclear manufacturing industry supply chain, meeting a key government milestone by ensuring that manufacturers in the UK have the capability and capacity required to compete for nuclear new build in the UK and globally, from skills training to research and development.
The centre helps to develop capability and competitiveness through process manufacturing innovation and R&D, driving up quality and reducing cost. It was established in 2009 and initial support was followed by additional investment of £37.1m in 2012. This public funding has been matched with additional industry and European funding. The Nuclear AMRC is also part of the Manufacturing Catapult attracting additional grant funding and support.
New initiatives set out in the strategy include a procurement and infrastructure client group, to launch later this year. Headed by EDF Energy, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and government, the group will aim to simplify market access for UK suppliers.
The government will also support research into access to finance for smaller businesses in the nuclear sector. Inward investment and export agency UKTI will meanwhile work to increase investment for all parts of the nuclear supply chain, and create a new nuclear export strategy.
Two new bodies will be created this year to support nuclear R&D: the Nuclear Innovation Research Advisory Board will ensure that publicly funded R&D is aligned to industrial and energy policy; while a new Nuclear Innovation Research Office, likely to be based within the National Nuclear Laboratory, will coordinate R&D programmes and advise industry and government on R&D opportunities.
35 projects, including ones involving the Nuclear AMRC and Sheffield Forgemasters, were also awarded government funding to develop new technologies for the construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "The nuclear industry presents significant multi billion pound long-term opportunities for UK companies and for thousands of high value jobs. We have worked with industry on a plan for the future to ensure we are well placed to grasp those opportunities.
"We have some of the finest workers, research facilities and academics in the world. But we need to sharpen those competitive advantages to become a top table nuclear nation."
The pioneering work of the Nuclear AMRC combining the public and private sectors is highlighted in the documents released by the government. Its work on deep hole boring is used as a case study showing how new techniques have been designed to drill holes of up to 8m depth with a single cut in a wholly automated process.
Nuclear AMRC website
Images: Nuclear AMRC
The strategy commits the government to continued funding for research and development, innovation and skills, including ongoing support for the Nuclear AMRC in Rotherham.
Over the next two decades it is forecast that globally there will be £930 billion investment in building new reactors and £250 billion in decommissioning those that are coming off line. The nuclear new build programme in the UK alone could generate up to 40,000 jobs in the sector at its peak. The nuclear industrial strategy sets out the basis for a long-term partnership between government and industry to exploit those opportunities.
The Nuclear AMRC on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham is a joint initiative between the University of Sheffield, The University of Manchester, and a consortium of industry partners led by Rolls-Royce. It provides a focal point for the bulk of the UK civil nuclear manufacturing industry supply chain, meeting a key government milestone by ensuring that manufacturers in the UK have the capability and capacity required to compete for nuclear new build in the UK and globally, from skills training to research and development.
The centre helps to develop capability and competitiveness through process manufacturing innovation and R&D, driving up quality and reducing cost. It was established in 2009 and initial support was followed by additional investment of £37.1m in 2012. This public funding has been matched with additional industry and European funding. The Nuclear AMRC is also part of the Manufacturing Catapult attracting additional grant funding and support.
New initiatives set out in the strategy include a procurement and infrastructure client group, to launch later this year. Headed by EDF Energy, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and government, the group will aim to simplify market access for UK suppliers.
The government will also support research into access to finance for smaller businesses in the nuclear sector. Inward investment and export agency UKTI will meanwhile work to increase investment for all parts of the nuclear supply chain, and create a new nuclear export strategy.
Two new bodies will be created this year to support nuclear R&D: the Nuclear Innovation Research Advisory Board will ensure that publicly funded R&D is aligned to industrial and energy policy; while a new Nuclear Innovation Research Office, likely to be based within the National Nuclear Laboratory, will coordinate R&D programmes and advise industry and government on R&D opportunities.
35 projects, including ones involving the Nuclear AMRC and Sheffield Forgemasters, were also awarded government funding to develop new technologies for the construction, operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "The nuclear industry presents significant multi billion pound long-term opportunities for UK companies and for thousands of high value jobs. We have worked with industry on a plan for the future to ensure we are well placed to grasp those opportunities.
"We have some of the finest workers, research facilities and academics in the world. But we need to sharpen those competitive advantages to become a top table nuclear nation."
The pioneering work of the Nuclear AMRC combining the public and private sectors is highlighted in the documents released by the government. Its work on deep hole boring is used as a case study showing how new techniques have been designed to drill holes of up to 8m depth with a single cut in a wholly automated process.
Nuclear AMRC website
Images: Nuclear AMRC
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