Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted
Paragraph: 56
Great British Nuclear's remit and activities remain unclear beyond the SMR competition.
Conclusion
The 2050 target for nuclear of 24 GW needs a plan to achieve it, which must include clarity on the bodies and institutions that will deliver it. After asking the Department to provide more clarity on what legislation will be required to ensure that Great British Nuclear can operate as intended, we are pleased to see that the Government has tabled amendments to the Energy Bill 2022–23 to include this legislation. Having said this, there are still some points of ambiguity over exactly how Great 100 Delivering nuclear power British Nuclear will function and what activities it will carry out beyond running a small modular reactor competition. We expected further clarity to given in the Government’s launch of GBN in July 2023, but the announcement only included details of the SMR competition and the allocation of funds that had already been announced.
Government Response Summary
The government stated that legislation in the Energy Bill clarifies GBN's roles and responsibilities and committed to providing further detail on GBN's role in the Nuclear Roadmap to be published later this year.
Paragraph Reference:
56
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Information about roles, responsibilities and the split between HMG and GBN is clarified in the legislation. GBN will operate through British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) in the period ahead of legislation passing. Clauses for GBN were included as amendments to the Energy Bill that is currently passing through Parliament and should receive Royal Assent this session. The clauses relating to GBN set out its role in facilitating nuclear generation projects in furtherance of policy set by Government. Upon Royal Assent the Secretary of State will designate a company as GBN. In the meantime, work continues at pace within the existing legal framework to support delivery of HMG’s ambitions. The government will set out further detail on the role of GBN in the Roadmap published later this year. routes to market for new nuclear projects, in addition to that provided by the GBN Technology Selection Process. Government is particularly keen to understand where GBN and the government could support the private sector to bring forward projects, and to further explore the role of nuclear energy in industrial decarbonisation as well as low-carbon heat and hydrogen production. The evidence received will help shape future policy and ensure that the UK’s nuclear programme is as comprehensive and inclusive as possible. Further details will follow on both this and the nuclear roadmap, which we have committed to publish by the end of the year and which aims to set out further next steps for civil nuclear.