Advanced Nuclear Framework

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Wednesday 4th February 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

Today we are publishing the “Advanced Nuclear Framework” for private projects, which reinforces the golden age of nuclear. The framework sets out our approach to enabling privately led advanced nuclear projects, including small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors.

Recent global events have highlighted the importance of energy security and the need for a resilient, clean energy system. Nuclear energy has a vital role in delivering stable, affordable, and clean baseload power. The UK is already progressing major projects such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, alongside Rolls Royce being confirmed as the preferred bidder following the Great British Nuclear small modular reactor technology selection process. We are now entering a new phase in the golden age of nuclear, one that harnesses private sector innovation to deliver advanced nuclear projects.

The framework explains how Government will create the enabling policy landscape for the private sector to initiate and deliver advanced nuclear projects. It is focused on supporting the development, commercialisation, and deployment of advanced civil nuclear private projects within the UK’s energy sector.

This policy direction is reinforced by the Government’s response to the nuclear regulatory taskforce, ensuring that regulatory reform keeps pace with the ambition of the framework. The Government accept the principle of all 47 of the taskforce’s recommendations. A full implementation plan will be published within three months, with reforms completed within two years, subject to legislation. Departments, regulators and industry should act now to support faster, lower-cost delivery of new nuclear and strengthen energy security.

The taskforce set out that these reforms could have a fundamental impact on the sector. They are intended to drive forward new nuclear in a safe, affordable way, save tens of billions from the cost of decommissioning legacy nuclear activities, and lower energy costs for consumers, industry, and public services.

This bold action will make nuclear energy more affordable, quicker to deploy, and will uphold high safety standards while boosting sector growth and investment. The strengthened regulatory framework will build a more agile, innovative, and collaborative environment, positioning the UK as a global leader.

The framework sets out a pathway for private sector participation in the delivery of advanced nuclear projects, specifically small modular reactors, advanced modular reactors and micro-reactors. It defines the principles, processes, and support mechanisms.

Key elements of the framework include:

The UK advanced nuclear pipeline and a project readiness assessment process to endorse viable projects and unlock private investment.



A suite of enabling measures across finance, planning, regulation, fuel supply, and skills including potential support through the National Wealth Fund, planning reforms, and targeted protections for high-impact, low-probability risks.

Projects that meet the relevant criteria will progress through the assessment process and join the pipeline, receiving early Government endorsement to boost investor confidence and helping developers unlock private capital.

The publication of this framework marks a significant step in delivering a secure, low-carbon energy future and supporting innovation and investment in this critical sector.

Alongside the “Advanced Nuclear Framework”, this Government have also published the “Statement on civil nuclear fuel use”. This statement outlines the Government’s expectation around fuel use in the UK, making sure we enable the highest standards of nuclear security, support industry planning, prevent delays, and foster a secure, sustainable nuclear sector that helps operators align with a consistent nuclear fuel policy environment.

[HCWS1302]

Capacity Market Units: Consultation on Location Changes

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Thursday 29th January 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

I am tabling this statement to inform members of the publication of a consultation response relating to the capacity market titled “Government response to consultation on proposal regarding locational changes of capacity market units”. It sets out the Government’s intention to amend the rules that allows for notification of a change of address in the CM to prevent new build capacity market units and DSR CMUs from changing address between prequalification and delivery. This change will apply to all future CM agreements starting from prequalification 2026.

The Government recognise that the ability to change components is necessary for DSR CMUs. It is worth noting that only five change of address requests have been made by DSR units under the rule being changed through this consultation, and the rules will still have options for DSR CMUs to change component addresses after these changes have been made. Unproven DSR can notify component addresses ahead of the delivery year through rule 8.3.3a and proven DSR can reallocate components within the delivery year under rule 8.3.4.

Since its introduction in 2014, the CM has secured reliable capacity for when there is greater demand for electricity in Great Britain. This capacity is acquired through competitive annual auctions held four years and one year ahead of their respective delivery years. The Government regularly amend the framework underpinning the capacity market before auction cycles to ensure it is fit for purpose, cost-effective and meets broader strategic objectives such as clean power by 2030.

The Government intend to introduce these changes for the 2027 auctions coming into force for prequalification in summer of 2026. This will give participants clarity and certainty ahead of their entrance into prequalification and allow them to adapt to the changes the Government have made.

[HCWS1288]

East Park Energy: North Bedfordshire

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

I congratulate the hon. Member for North Bedfordshire (Richard Fuller) on securing the debate. Although I disagree with some of what he said, the tone of his remarks is welcome. I will respond to some of his points, but given the time I will not be able to respond to them all.

On a general point, I appreciate that many issues, and planning issues in particular, are contentious. As Members of Parliament, we all know that as such issues are raised regularly. Although we might take decisions as a Government that people will disagree with, I hope that I have always given the impression that I am always keen to hear the points that the hon. Gentleman raises, and that other hon. Members raise, and I want to continue those conversations.

Helpfully, the hon. Gentleman said at the outset that I will not be able to comment on the specific application that he references, and it is worth being clear about why that is: the application will come before my Department for a decision. As the Minister with a policy interest in this area, I personally do not see the papers for such decisions and I am not engaged in that process. My noble friend Lord Whitehead usually makes these decisions, or my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. It is important that no Minister who has a role in decision making speaks about the specifics, and I know that the hon. Gentleman understands that. However, I can talk in more general terms about how we ensure that solar projects, which are really important, are rolled out sensibly and sensitively, which is at the heart of many of the hon. Gentleman’s remarks.

To start, I will take us back slightly to the bigger picture about why solar power is so important in the first place, and why it is at the heart of the clean energy mission. We know that far too often energy bills are still being set by the cost of gas, and that deploying renewables faster than we have before is a way that we can reduce our dependence on volatile fossil fuels, protecting bill payers now and in the future. That deployment also provides an economic opportunity to create thousands of jobs in communities across the country. In addition, the Government cares deeply about tackling the most existential crisis that the planet faces. I will return to this point, but the effects of climate change, which we see all too often, cannot be put off until tomorrow. It is hugely important that we tackle them now, so this mission is critical.

Solar is at the heart of the mission—and critical to it—because it is one of the cheapest renewable energy sources that we can deploy, and it can be deployed at scale. The aim of our clean power mission is to achieve at least 45 GW to 47 GW of solar by 2030. We are at around 22 GW today, so if we are going to deliver that goal, we need to rapidly deploy a combination of ground-mounted solar and a roof-top revolution, which I will return to. At the same time, we have a commitment to doing that sensitively for the communities that host that infrastructure, and to ensuring that those communities gain a benefit from hosting it on behalf of the country.

I will pick just some of the hon. Gentleman’s substantive arguments. The way in which we balance the need for this infrastructure across the country—the fact that it has to be somewhere—with the adverse impacts, as well as the potential benefits, that communities face from hosting the infrastructure, is exactly what our rigorous planning system is about. The views and interests of local communities are key to that. I know that the hon. Gentleman has engaged in the process in this specific case—he has already made representations, and will obviously encourage his constituents to do the same. That feedback is hugely important; people should feel that it has a serious role in the decision-making process, because it does, and therefore it is worth participating in that process. Making those submissions and turning up to those meetings really does matter.

Obviously, the planning process itself considers many of the issues that the hon. Gentleman has raised, including visual amenity, protected landscapes, land use, food production, safety, and traffic conditions during construction. The system for nationally significant projects requires that considerable community engagement be undertaken before a decision is made. The level and quality of engagement is considered during the decision-making process, and these projects are marked down if that is not taken seriously.

The hon. Gentleman has raised the issue of cumulative impact, which is a really important one for us to wrestle with. I do not pretend that we have a single answer to this, but the idea that we should plan holistically—I think the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire (Blake Stephenson) made this point—to make sure communities do not face multiple projects, with all the cumulative impact that comes from that, is something we want to tackle. We are doing that in two ways.

[Richard Fuller]

The Minister is talking about cumulative impacts from projects. Just so that it can be on the record, the point I was trying to make is that one consideration is the cumulative impacts from solar farms; the other is that there are a lot of other types of infrastructure construction going on. Could the Minister be clear that cumulative impact includes consideration of both?

[Michael Shanks]

I will come to that point in just a moment. Part of the wider work we are seeking to do across Government is to plan where infrastructure is built holistically and strategically. For example, the land-use work that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is doing is about looking at the whole United Kingdom and making sure we have a plan in place for future land use, so that all of those things are taken into consideration.

The legal requirement for a cumulative effects assessment is set out in environmental regulations. The Government have published advice that summarises the process for undertaking that assessment in relation to NSIPs, and the hon. Gentleman’s wider point about the cumulative impact of housing, Universal Studios or transport is also really important. Obviously, my Department has a particular interest in how we plan the energy system, but we are seeking to work much more broadly right across Government. The land use consultation that DEFRA launched closed in April 2025, and the outputs from that and the regional workshops that have been undertaken are now being analysed. That is the first time we have had a national, holistic plan to bring all these things together.

From an energy perspective, which is what I am responsible for, the second point is about the strategic spatial energy plan. For the first time in our history, we will strategically plan the energy system that we need and make conscious decisions about where we site energy infrastructure, so that we are not needlessly building the grid infrastructure that goes with it—so that we are building it next to where we need it the most, reducing the impact on communities and taking into account the cumulative impact of those projects. We should have been doing that a long time ago. I do not blame any particular Government for this, but we have rolled out a huge number of renewables projects across the country without doing any of that strategic planning. That has been a huge failure in the past, and as a result, we are now spending huge amounts of money on building the grid to connect that infrastructure. We have to do that. It is a shame that we did not plan it more strategically in the first place, but we start from where we start, unfortunately.

I am conscious of the time, so I will quickly refer to the point about land use and the use of farmland for solar projects. That point is raised regularly, and it is an important one to raise—food security is also our national security, and it is hugely important. Planning policy makes clear that, wherever possible, developers should utilise brownfield, industrial, contaminated or previously developed land. I understand the point that the hon. Member for North Bedfordshire made about this particular site; I cannot comment on that, but he helpfully quoted me to me. I still agree with me—which is not always the case—but I am not going to set a specific figure, for obvious reasons. There is very much a determination in the process that we should be using lower-quality land wherever possible, but that does not mean that we can always do so. We need to realise that for some projects, that is just not possible. However, if we zoom out just a little bit, even in our most ambitious deployment scenarios, only 0.4% of UK land would be devoted to solar in 2030.

There are a number of other points that I do not have time to address, but I will write to the hon. Gentleman with some responses on them. In the context of what we are seeking to do, I am not complacent about the impact that these projects have on communities—I genuinely understand it. I read all of my correspondence from people who write to me about these points, and he is right to raise these issues. We are seeking to build the infrastructure that the country needs in a way that takes into account the local impact. Communities may feel that has not been done, and for that I apologise, but we are seeking to build a strategic system that deals with many of these issues into the future, so that communities feel that energy is not done to them, but is part of their community and is something that they welcome. At the same time, that helps us to deliver our missions as a Government.

Solar power in this country remains hugely popular and, despite a number of issues, the planning process is rigorous. There is not an automatic yes coming out of the planning system; we look carefully at every single one of these applications. They get a huge amount of consideration, and it is important that communities feel that, and that they know that these applications are taken seriously. If they do not feel that, we have to do more as a Government to ensure that people have confidence in the system. As we deliver this clean power mission, solar will play an important role. We want to bring communities with us, and I commit to doing more to make sure that is the case.

Question put and agreed to.

Fuel Supply: Fees for Military Drivers

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Tuesday 20th January 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

The Secretary of State will be using powers under the Energy Act 2013 to increase the hourly rate for use of military fuel tanker drivers paid by hauliers during a deployment of this capability. This programme is a long-standing fuel supply contingency measure jointly managed by my Department and the Ministry of Defence to make trained military drivers available to support fuel deliveries in an emergency.

This is a routine increase to keep the cost in line with inflationary increases since 2021, and in line with agreements signed with industry.

A direction under section 148(3)(b) of the Energy Act 2013 was made to increase the hourly price from £28.51 to £34.44. This will take effect on 20 January 2026. I believe this direction is fair and proportionate as it will now take account of inflationary price increases from 2021 calculated using the consumer prices inflation index and has been agreed with industry. The Secretary of State reserves the right to make further changes to the charging regime if that becomes necessary.

[HCWS1259]

Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Monday 19th January 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

I am making this statement to fulfil the commitment to inform Parliament via a written ministerial statement whenever the ambulatory reference to the UK low carbon hydrogen standard in the Hydrogen Production Revenue Support (Directions, Eligibility and Counterparty) Regulations 2023 is updated. A new version of the standard (version 4) has now been published.

The Energy Act 2023 makes provision for the implementation of the hydrogen production business model, which is intended to provide revenue support to overcome the cost gap between low carbon hydrogen and higher carbon counterfactual fuels. The HPBM is designed to incentivise the production and use of low carbon hydrogen, supporting the UK’s net zero and energy security ambitions.

Section 57(1) sets out the overarching power for the Secretary of State to make regulations in relation to revenue support contracts. There are a number of provisions in chapter 1, part 2 of the Act which set out the matters that regulations made under section 57(1) may cover. The provision in section 66(5) of the Act enables revenue support regulations determining the meaning of “eligible” in relation to a low carbon hydrogen producer to make ambulatory reference to published documents, including standards, external to the regulations, i.e. as the documents have effect from time to time. Given the nascency of the hydrogen industry and the need for regulations underpinning the hydrogen production revenue support contracts to provide sufficient certainty to investors, the ability to make ambulatory reference in regulations provides flexibility to help ensure the scheme is in line with the latest technological developments to encourage ongoing innovation and investment. This approach also aligns with consultation feedback to ensure alignment with the UK Government definition of low carbon hydrogen when allocating support to projects under the hydrogen production business model.

The regulations were laid in draft in Parliament on 8 November 2023 and came into force on 20 December 2023. Bar certain exceptions for low carbon hydrogen producers who applied for financial support before the commencement date of the regulations, the regulations determine whether a low carbon hydrogen producer is “eligible” in relation to proposals it makes for the production of hydrogen produced in accordance with the low carbon hydrogen standard. The regulations define “the low carbon hydrogen standard” as the document published by the Secretary of State in April 2023 entitled “UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard —Version 2” or such standard as may be from time to time published for the purposes of these regulations by the Secretary of State. The regulations provide that where the Secretary of State publishes a new or revised low carbon hydrogen standard for the purposes of the regulations, the publication of the new or revised standard must include, or be accompanied by, a statement in writing that it is published to replace the previous version of the standard.

The standard sets a maximum threshold for the amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed in the production process for hydrogen to be considered “low carbon hydrogen”. It sets out the methodology for calculating the emissions associated with hydrogen production using production pathways in scope of the standard, and the steps producers should take to prove that the hydrogen they produce is compliant with the standard.

On Monday 19 January, version 4 of the standard was published and focuses on ensuring that the requirements set out in the standard are clear and can be effectively applied under hydrogen production revenue support contracts. This update reflects lessons learned from the application of the LCHS to the first hydrogen allocation round, stakeholder feedback and evolving policy priorities to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and keeps pace with the growing hydrogen economy.

Version 4 of the standard replaces any previous versions of the standard for the purposes of the regulations. This means that currently version 4 of the standard is the one that is to be used for assessing eligibility under the regulations, bar certain exceptions as mentioned above.

[HCWS1252]

Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7: Offshore Wind Projects

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Wednesday 14th January 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

The seventh contracts for difference auction results have been published today, unlocking a record 8.4 GW of offshore wind projects. We have taken a significant step forward in our mission, showing that clean power by 2030 is achievable and on track. Despite well-known global pressures facing the industry, we have delivered enough capacity to power the equivalent of over 12 million homes. This is a major result and means we can take back control of our energy, meet the growing demand of electricity and get bills down for good for working people.

For fixed-bottom offshore wind, this represents the single largest auction in European history. These projects will be built right across Great Britain, supporting skilled jobs and investment in coastal and industrial communities. The clearing price for offshore wind in this round was on average 90.91 per MWh, far below the auction’s price cap and significantly cheaper than the 147 per MWh cost of building and operating new gas plants.

This proves that clean, home-grown power is the most affordable and secure choice for the country.

These results include Berwick Bank, which is the first new Scottish project to be procured through the CfD in three years, and Awel y Môr, the first Welsh project to win a contract in more than a decade. This will provide a boost to the Scottish and Welsh economies, underlining this Government’s commitment to see all parts of the UK benefit from clean power.

These results also represent major progress in our efforts to lead the world in the emerging technologies of the future, securing 192.5 MW of floating offshore wind capacity. Winning projects include Erebus in the Celtic sea, and Pentland in Scotland, backed by pioneering investment from Great British Energy and the National Wealth Fund. This success builds on last year’s leasing round 5 auction of 4.5 GW of seabed. These additional projects will boost regional economies and ensure that Britain continues to reap the benefits of clean power.

This auction will unlock around £22 billion in private investment in every corner of the country, supporting at least 7,000 jobs in areas including Scotland, north Wales, Norfolk, and Yorkshire and the Humber—delivering a major boost for the economy.

In a world of increasing instability, this Government are determined to back secure, clean, home-grown power to drive down costs for families, and provide the energy security our country needs.

[HCWS1239]

SSEN Transmission Orkney Link

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Thursday 8th January 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

I wish to inform the House that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero intends to undertake a contingent liability under the statutory spending authority under section 50 of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. It is a bespoke, time-limited, capped policy indemnity offered by the UK Government to SSEN Transmission to satisfy the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s permit requirements for SSENT’s Orkney transmission link project, under the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018. Upgrading and expanding the grid is critical to the Government’s clean power mission and growth objectives. The project was granted initial regulatory approval by Ofgem in 2019, and final regulatory approval in 2023, and was awarded a marine licence by the Scottish Government in 2020, which was extended in 2022 and 2024. This indemnity will enable the project to proceed, and avoid potential delays, by satisfying a regulatory requirement, subject to SSENT obtaining the necessary permits, ensuring long-overdue progress in connecting Orkney to the GB transmission grid. This critical grid infrastructure will unlock significant clean power capacity that Orkney possesses—including community renewable projects—and bolster security of supply for the islands, helping support a stronger local economy and delivering a more efficient grid for GB consumers which is fit for the future.

It is normal practice when a Government Department proposes to undertake a contingent liability that is novel, contentious or repercussive to present Parliament with a minute, in line with “Managing Public Money”. In line with this guidance, the liability will not be entered into until 14 parliamentary sitting days have elapsed following the laying of the minute.

The indemnity covers the extremely unlikely scenario where SEPA determines that an intervention is required, by virtue of SSENT’s construction activity resulting in a statistically significant increase in irradiated particles washed up onshore from disturbing irradiated particles on the seabed, and that the required intervention is beyond the scope of the Nuclear Restoration Services’ existing particle monitoring and recovery programme. The indemnity is time-limited for 20 years. Due to the extremely remote probability of this risk materialising, it is highly unlikely that this full cost would crystalise. HM Treasury has approved this proposal.

A departmental minute has today been laid before Parliament setting out full details of this contingent liability. In accordance with “Managing Public Money”, the liability will not be entered into until 14 parliamentary sitting days have elapsed following the laying of the minute. Subject to satisfaction of the relevant conditions precedent, the Orkney indemnity will become live as soon as practicable after 14 parliamentary sitting days have elapsed following the laying of the minute.

[HCWS1227]

Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Tuesday 6th January 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

On 30 June 2025, I made an oral statement regarding the deeply disappointing news that Prax Lindsey oil refinery had entered insolvency, and I made a written ministerial statement on 1 July 2025. I also made a written ministerial statement on 22 July 2025 providing further information on the insolvency process led by the official receiver. Today, I am updating the House on the sale of the site and the assets.

The insolvency process at PLOR is led by the court-appointed official receiver, who must act in accordance with his statutory duties and independently of Government.

After a thorough process to identify a buyer for the site, the official receiver has determined Phillips 66 Ltd is the most credible bidder that can provide a viable future for this site. The sale is expected to complete in the first half of 2026.

Phillips 66 is an experienced and credible operator, and this sale allows it to quickly expand operations at its neighbouring Humber refinery, with all remaining 250 staff guaranteed employment until the end of March 2026.

Phillips 66 plans to integrate key assets into its Humber refinery operations. This will expand Phillips 66’s ability to supply fuel to UK customers from the Humber refinery, boosting domestic energy security, securing jobs including hundreds of new construction jobs over the next five years, and driving future growth opportunities for renewable and traditional fuels.

This agreement marks the next step in securing an industrial future for the site and the workers, who were badly let down by their former owners.

The former owners left the company in a poor state and gave the Government very little time to act. That is why the Energy Secretary immediately demanded the Insolvency Service launch an investigation into their conduct and the circumstances surrounding insolvency. That investigation is ongoing.

[HCWS1220]

Energy Infrastructure National Policy Statements

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Tuesday 6th January 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

I laid three updated energy national policy statements before Parliament for parliamentary approval on 13 November 2025: EN-1 (the overarching NPS for energy), EN-3 (renewable energy infrastructure), and EN-5 (electricity networks infrastructure). I am therefore pleased to inform Parliament that I am today publishing them as national policy statements under the provisions of Section 6(9)(a) of the Planning Act 2008, and laying copies before you as required by Section 6(9)(b) of the same Act. The statements are made under the Planning Act 2008, which applies to England and Wales.

The updated national policy statements support Government’s clean power 2030 mission and our efforts to build an energy system that meets clean power by 2030 and net zero objectives. These national policy statements provide clarity for industry and stakeholders on the Government’s clean power mission and are pivotal to our reforms to provide the UK with clean, affordable energy security.

[HCWS1222]

Nuclear Energy Infrastructure National Policy Statement

Michael Shanks Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

Today I am pleased to announce we have designated the national policy statement for nuclear energy generation, EN-7, according to the Planning Act 2008. EN-7 now provides the planning framework for all nationally significant infrastructure projects proposing to use nuclear fission to generate energy, replacing EN-6, which applied to projects deployable by the end of 2025.

This marks an important milestone in delivering our ambition to make the UK a clean energy superpower, in part through an expansion and diversification of the UK nuclear energy industry. The designation of EN-7 builds on the momentum of recent Government action, including the publication of the Prime Minister’s strategic steer to the nuclear sector following the report from the nuclear regulatory taskforce. Our implementation of the report’s recommendations will shape a modernised, more agile regulatory environment, while maintaining the UK’s high standards of safety, security, and environmental protection.

Alongside EN-7, we will be publishing the EN-7 supplementary information. This document clarifies the planning and regulatory requirements for nuclear energy projects, helping applicants to navigate the process for applying for development consent, and to engage effectively with regulators and expert consultees. By providing practical advice, the supplementary information aims to streamline project delivery, reduce uncertainty, and support robust safety and environmental standards. It will be updated regularly to reflect stakeholder feedback, ensuring it remains a valuable resource for all involved.

The EN-7 and supporting documents, including the EN-7 supplementary information, are available on gov.uk.

[HCWS1208]