Memorandum 102
Submission from Rolls-Royce
BACKGROUND
1. Since the late 1950's, Rolls-Royce has
been involved in the UK submarine programme as the Design Authority
and procurement agent for the nuclear propulsion plant. This began
with a technology transfer from the USA, and over the last 50
years Rolls-Royce has had continuing responsibility for development
of the reactor system.
2. Current plants in service show major
improvements compared with early plant: the sailing distance without
refuel has improved by several factors; safety and reliability
has increased and plant is much quieter. These factors are all
achieved in the challenging environment of an operational submarine
subject to shock, extreme manoeuvring, tight space and weight
constraints.
3. These improvements have been achieved
by Rolls-Royce engineers working closely with the MoD. Rolls-Royce
employs around 940 specialist engineers in support of this programme,
covering a wide range of skills. The team also manages the support
of around 250 full-time-equivalent engineers from partner companies
providing managed services.
4. The age demographics of the engineering
population is reasonably healthy and recent recruitment has brought
down the mean age to about 40 years. A knowledge management process
has been introduced to help manage the risk of loss of experience
through retirement. Recruitment has been reasonably successful
but is growing more difficult and made more so because of the
required reliance on UK nationals.
5. Rolls-Royce also recruits engineers from
the Royal Navy-ie retired operators. This provides a balance between
design and operational skills. It means that there is always good
feedback of operational issues into the design process and has
contributed to the success of naval reactors.
6. Rolls-Royce is supported by a range of
suppliers and technical experts. Our supply chain has required
considerable support through low production periods but is now
strong with sustainability a top priority. It is capable of tackling
the full range of design, manufacture and operational issues.
7. The Company has been involved in manufacture
of nuclear equipment since the outset of the military programme
and this has necessarily grown through the above-mentioned infrastructure
rebuilding. The capability includes manufacture of the reactor
core, heavy pressure vessels, major valves and control rod drives.
This has required the company to become a nuclear site licensee,
bringing with it the experience of dealing with the civil nuclear
regulator as well as the relationship with the naval counterpart
associated with our military plant work.
8. The Company has managed and operated
the land-based submarine reactor prototype site at Dounreay, known
as Vulcan, since its inception in the late 1950s. This has seen
the building of two prototype reactors and the testing of five
core design developments as well as the site providing more general
nuclear facilities such as large pump refurbishment and inspection
capability.
9. The Company has designed, procured, manufactured
and built more nuclear reactors than any other company in Western
Europe except Areva. The safety record of these plants is exceptional
with experience of over 400 plant-years of operation. Design and
development continues with the aim of achieving even greater improvements
in performance, reliability and safety.
10. For civil nuclear, we also have overseas
units that contribute significantly to the industry. A French
subsidiary supplies the Reactor Control and Instrumentation for
many European reactors. A US subsidiary is involved in providing
reactor management software that has played an important role
in improving the availability of nuclear stations. We have also
been involved with the global civil industry supplying pressure
vessels and inspection services to Sizewell B and inspection,
repair and sampling services internationally.
Could These Skills Be Applied To Civil Nuclear
Development?
11. Skills are considered to be transferable
between military propulsion and civil programmes. This is made
all the more possible by civil new build adopting water reactor
technology reactors similar to the most recent civil station-Sizewell
B, with the Westinghouse AP 1000 and the Areva EPR as likely candidates.
12. New reactors built in the UK will be
largely standardised but undoubtedly require local engineering
skills to cope with site specific issues. These can include flood
defence or environmental impact, implementing safety regulations,
safety justification using techniques and design approaches that
are recognised by the UK regulator, procurement of local components,
management of the build process, maintenance of quality, staff
training, operating procedures and ownership of the design after
handover. A lesson from the current programme to build a large
reactor (an EPR) in Finland is that it is vital to deploy experienced
staff to reduce the risk of emergent design and quality issues.
13. The adaptability of the military resource
to civil applications has encouraged Rolls-Royce to establish
a Civil Nuclear business. A larger involvement in the broader
industry will also have a spillover benefit to military capability
through skill development and experience exchange.
14. Looking further into the future, there
is likely to be considerable activity worldwide in the design
of reactors with improved safety features and relevant features
for new markets-eg grid appropriateness. This is an important
opportunity for the UK and for a new engineering generation.
Does The UK Have The Engineering Capacity For
New Civil Nuclear Build?
15. Although the nation is currently suffering
from a lack of recent direct nuclear engineering education and
training, this was also a problem when the nuclear industry first
burgeoned in the 60s and 70s. The rapid deployment of nuclear
reactors during that period required the fast generation of capable
resource in the existing generation of engineers. We had more
general engineers then and the task was less complex given the
prevailing standards and regulatory requirements.
16. While the UK today is no longer involved
in the design of commercial reactors, we do have substantial expertise
but limited resource. It is our view that the required engineering
capacity can be achieved to support new civil nuclear build, but
this will not be easy, especially with the parallel challenge
of the military programme. This will involve consideration of
how to harness the experience of current resources to help develop
the larger resource pool that will be required.
17. A major increase in education and training
opportunities will be needed, particularly at first degree level
where they are currently non-existent. Although post-graduate
opportunities have increased in recent times, these need expansion
and flexible implementation. Having a core resource that has nuclear
engineering as its first subject will be essential because nuclear
engineering involves the integration of a wide range of sciences
and the understanding of complex bodies of standards and legislative
requirements. Safety assessments involve a broad understanding
of the implications of safety concerns. Priority will be needed
to providing first degree nuclear engineering opportunities to
establish a solid core of future resource.
18. It should also be recognised, however,
that nuclear engineering is also about mechanical engineering,
electrical engineering, materials engineering, physics and other
generic skills. Recruitment from these pools must be addressed
and availability of suitable specific discipline nuclear education
"on-the-job" opportunities established. The recent nuclear
engineering MSc courses, either full-time or part-time, will be
suitable for some of these engineers but less intensive, more
focussed opportunities are required.
What are the longer term National benefits of
increasing Nuclear Engineering capability?
19. A rapid change in energy technologies
is taking place but it is difficult to predict which technologies
will emerge as winners. There is a significant probability that
nuclear power will expand significantly over the next few years
and the UK is well placed to benefit from this business.
20. A second benefit is that UK nuclear
stations will be important strategically, and involve significant
safety issues. It would therefore be inappropriate to rely entirely
on foreign expertise. Furthermore, the aspiration for the next
generation Propulsion Plant for the successor to the Vanguard
class series, will require a long programme (15 years +) and this
will be reliant on the engineering capability of UK nationals.
21. Given the likely international nuclear
programme growth, it may not be possible to bring in engineering
skills required for the civil programme from abroad. For example,
the USA is likely to be a net importer of nuclear skills, and
there will be a worldwide demand for these skills.
The Engineer's Role in Shaping the UK's Nuclear
Future and Viable Nuclear Power economics
22. Nuclear power will be an essential part
of the nation's energy portfolio if we are to achieve environment
and energy supply goals. However, renewable sources are also an
essential part of this portfolio. Innovative engineering is required
to develop the effectiveness and efficiency of all these sources
and how they are balanced in the infrastructure.
23. New nuclear reactor designs have the
potential for lower equipment costs, shorter build times through
such initiatives as modularisation, reducing the period of capitalisation,
reducing through life costs through simpler systems and optimised
maintenance planning, and driving improvements in plant efficiency.
The potential for engineering to progress these developments is
high.
24. These issues again throw the focus on
a general shortage of engineers nationally and the need to take
action to rectify this to provide the transferable skill requirements
across a range of industrial sectors.
March 2008
| 
