CONTENTS
Terms of Reference
Summary
Chapter 1: Introduction
Up to 2050 and beyond
Structure of the report
Acknowledgements
Chapter 2: The nuclear R&D sector—past and present
Box 1: Nuclear Reactor Technologies
Figure 1: UK public sector fission R&D funding (£ millions)
Figure 2: UK Nuclear R&D Workforce: showing the reduction in workforce following the closure of Government nuclear laboratories
Recent developments
The nuclear sector in the UK
Spending on research
Table 1: Comparisons of government-funded research on energy and nuclear fission (figures for the latest available year)
The UK's strengths in nuclear R&D and associated expertise
Figure 3: The Civil Nuclear Fission Research Landscape
Figure 4: The Nuclear Fission Research Landscape: Overview of Technology Readiness Levels
Organisations that fund or carry out nuclear R&D
Research councils
Table 2: Annual Research Council spend on nuclear fission (£)
Universities
Other public bodies
International research collaborations
Chapter 3: The role of nuclear in the energy portfolio up to 2050 and beyond
What contribution could nuclear make to the energy portfolio?
Box 2: The contribution that nuclear energy could make to the energy mix: future energy scenarios
The role of different nuclear technologies and fuel cycles
Box 3: The nuclear fuel cycle
Chapter 4: Energy Policies
Long-term plan to encourage the development of low-carbon technologies
Commercial opportunities from nuclear R&D and associated expertise
Developing the supply chain for the new build plans
Developing new technologies
Building a framework to promote commercial exploitation
Energy Security
Chapter 5: Are the UK's current R&D capabilities and associated expertise sufficient to keep the nuclear energy options open?
Meeting our current commitments: R&D capabilities and associated expertise to meet the needs of the existing fleet and a new build programme of 12-16 GW up to 2050
and beyond
R&D Capability and associated expertise requirements specific to the new build plans
Additional gaps in research capabilities
Facilities for studying irradiated materials
Legacy and existing systems waste
Meeting the needs of an extended nuclear programme: R&D capabilities and associated expertise required for up to 38 GW of nuclear energy capacity up to 2050 and beyond
Fuel recycling and reprocessing
Graduates
Postgraduates
Regulatory needs
Chapter 6: Keeping the Nuclear Energy Options Open
How to maintain R&D capabilities and associated expertise to keep the options for different nuclear futures open
R&D Programmes and Roadmaps
The need for a national R&D roadmap
Government response to the call for a national roadmap
Developing a national roadmap
What should be in such a roadmap?
Participation in international research programmes
Involvement in research on future nuclear technologies
The Government's approach to involvement in Generation IV
Generation IV Forum (GIF)
Box 4: The Generation IV International Forum
Research facilities
Why do we need facilities to handle highly active material in the UK?
Research reactor facilities
Legacy and existing systems waste
Nuclear safety research capabilities
The Nuclear Research Index
The Nuclear Safety Advisory Committee
Research requirements post-Fukushima
Social science research
Chapter 7: Roles and responsibilities
Departmental responsibilities for nuclear R&D
Responsibilities for advanced fuel recycling and reprocessing
The role of the NDA
Providing a national lead for nuclear research
The Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE)
The role of NNL
Comparisons with other national laboratories
Contractual arrangement
Chapter 8: The need for an integrated policy approach to maintaining nuclear R&D capabilities and associated expertise
The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
Reprocessing and advanced fuel recycling
Chapter 9: Conclusions and Recommendations
Appendix 1: Members and Declarations of Interest
Appendix 2: List of Witnesses
Appendix 3: Call for Evidence
Appendix 4: Seminar held at the House of Lords
Appendix 5: Visit to the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Sellafield Ltd
Appendix 6:Abbreviations and Acroynms
Appendix 7: Recent reports from the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee
Evidence is published online at www.parliament.uk/hlscience
and available for inspection at the Parliamentary Archives (020
7219 5314)
References in footnotes to the Report are as follows:
Q refers to a question in oral evidence;
NRD refers to written evidence.
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