Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Written Statement of 24 January 2025 on Plutonium Disposition Strategy, HCWS388, if he will publish the basis for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s recommendation to immobilise the UK plutonium stockpile.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) conducted substantial technical, deliverability and economic analysis to identify a preferred option for a long-term disposition solution, considering options for immobilisation and reuse of the material as fuel. It is not intended for the NDA analysis to be made publicly available due to commercial sensitivity and safeguarding national security.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Written Statement of 6 February 2025 on Consenting and Regulation of Nuclear Energy, HCWS419, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using the UK’s plutonium stockpile to support the delivery of the Government’s policies on nuclear power.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has published a refreshed planning framework for new nuclear reactors (EN-7), including small and advanced modular reactors, for consultation. The new planning framework proposes to empower nuclear developers to identify potentially suitable sites in real-time against a robust set of siting criteria.
Plans for Government policies on nuclear power were taken into account when making the decision on plutonium disposition. All current reactor projects use uranium oxide fuel. In addition, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) conducted substantial technical, deliverability and economic analysis to identify a preferred option for a long-term disposition solution for the UK-owned plutonium, considering options for immobilisation and reuse of the material as fuel. Immobilisation is the solution that will place the material beyond reach soonest and with greatest delivery confidence. This is a key step towards dealing with our nuclear legacy and not passing the burden on to future generations.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using the UK’s plutonium stockpile to generate electricity.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) conducted substantial technical, deliverability and economic analysis to identify a preferred option for a long-term disposition solution for the UK-owned plutonium, considering options for immobilisation and reuse of the material as fuel to generate electricity. The outcome of this work recommended immobilisation as the preferred way forward to put the material beyond reach soonest and with greatest delivery confidence.
The plutonium cannot be used as fuel in its current form: new infrastructure for Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel production would be required, as well as new reprocessing capabilities to sustain a closed fuel cycle. A proportion of the material is unsuitable for reuse in reactors and requires immobilisation in any scenario.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the pause to the applications process for new entrants to the connections queue from 29 January 2025 announced by the National Energy Systems Operator on 15 January 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this decision on (a) data centre projects and (b) energy-intensive infrastructure projects.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The short pause on connection applications is a necessary, transitional step in delivering fundamental connections reforms that, if approved by Ofgem, could reduce the connections queue by up to half and will enable accelerated connections for many generation and demand projects. The pause does not apply to demand projects and therefore will not impact data centre or energy-intensive infrastructure projects.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to Great British Energy's press release, Negotiations begin for UK’s small modular reactor programme, published on 11 November 2024, what steps he is taking to help ensure decisions on the UK small modular reactor programme are not delayed beyond spring 2025.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As announced at the Autumn Budget, Great British Nuclear is driving forward the small modular reactor competition for UK deployment and is negotiating with four shortlisted companies. Once negotiations have concluded, the companies will be invited to submit final tenders, which GBN will then evaluate. Final decisions will be taken in the spring.
GBN is resourced to deliver the SMR competition and is working to a timeline that enables a robust process underpinned by fairness and transparency, to ensure any selected technology provides best value for money.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the potential for small modular nuclear reactors to power datacentres in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DESNZ and DSIT officials are already working together on the potential for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to power data centres in the UK and will continue to do so. The recently announced AI Energy Council is also an avenue for DESNZ and DSIT SoS to discuss this topic further with the AI industry.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department's target is for nuclear capacity in gigawatts by (a) 2030, (b) 2040 and (c) 2050.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Nuclear power currently provides ca. 15% of the UK’s electricity (6GW). As the current fleet retires, the Clean Power Action Plan anticipates a drop in capacity to 3-4GW in 2030.
We see nuclear as an important part of the mix going forward and are pushing ahead with building new nuclear. We have committed to getting Hinkley Point C over the line and will take final decisions on Sizewell C and the Great British Nuclear-led Small Modular Reactor programme at the Spending Review.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent members of staff in his Department work on supporting (a) advanced and (b) small modular nuclear reactors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Advanced nuclear policy which includes Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) is administered by the Net Zero, Nuclear, and International (NZNI) Group within the Department. This includes an advanced nuclear policy function, a sponsorship interface with Great British Nuclear, which is delivering the SMR competition for UK deployment, and a science and innovation function as part of the Department’s wider Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. While staff numbers will fluctuate in accordance with Department priorities, as of January 2025, the team is made up of c.50 officials. The Department's activities are also supported by independent technical experts.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent members of staff in Great British Nuclear work on the UK’s small modular reactor programme.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Nuclear is driving forward its small modular reactor competition for UK deployment. To deliver on this mission, GBN has grown rapidly as an organisation and as of January 2025, GBN has c.145 FTE in total, of which c.90 FTE are focused directly on delivering the SMR programme.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits nuclear fusion as a future energy source.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Fusion has the potential to provide virtually limitless, low-carbon, safe, baseload energy which could revolutionise global energy production. The UK is at the forefront of commercialising fusion technology and is building a strong fusion industry which already supports thousands of high-quality jobs and will create thousands more. The opportunities inherent in fusion development, including transfer of technology like robotics and advanced materials to adjacent energy sectors and inward investment, contribute strongly to the Government’s missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower.