High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors

Earl Russell Excerpts

Monday 19th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab)]

On the first part of my noble friend’s question, he should partially congratulate himself, because he was very involved in making that happen, and I join him in congratulating him. We have a very significant nuclear programme with SMRs coming along; and the Fingleton review and a series of other processes, including EN-7, which was laid on 18 December, make planning and other aspects much easier. Siting is very important. A siting review, by GBN, is going on at the moment, looking at potential sites for future gigawatt production as well; it will report in the autumn.

[Earl Russell (LD)]

My Lords, can the Minister outline how the continued co-operation with Japan on HTGR reactors will contribute to achieving the Government’s net-zero ambitions and improving our long-term energy security, in particular by providing a reliable low-carbon heat and power source to decarbonise industrial sectors that are otherwise particularly hard to abate, such as steel-making and hydrogen production? What assessment will be made of the cost-effectiveness of alternative types of technology?

[Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab)]

The point raised about the heat production of HTGRs is very important. This is not just about the electricity; it is about the heat and what can be done with it. It is why we are keen to encourage advanced modular reactors in the UK. There is also an opportunity to make them much smaller and to site them in different places, which will free up the link directly to industrial purposes. The advanced nuclear framework lays this out very clearly and encourages the private sector and others to join in putting forward new technologies.