Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the proportion of (a) large nuclear reactors and (b) small and advanced modular reactors that the UK requires.

Nuclear power generated in the UK plays a critical role in the UK energy system. Hinkley Point C is under construction and, when operational, will supply 3.2GW of secure, low carbon electricity for around 60 years, providing enough power for around 6 million homes. The Government aims to bring at least one large-scale nuclear project to the point of Final Investment Decision(FID) by the end of this Parliament, subject to value for money and all relevant approvals.

Small and Advanced Modular Reactors (SMRs/AMRs) could play a significant role alongside large nuclear as a low-carbon energy source to support a secure, affordable decarbonised energy system. In order to support this, the Government has announced up to £120 million for a new Future Nuclear Enabling Fund (FNEF) to provide targeted support to address barriers to entry. The Government will publish a roadmap for new nuclear deployment, including large scale and advanced nuclear technologies, in 2022.