New simpler planning measures for future plants will help the UK lead the race to commercial fusion power.
Last week the government announced plans to streamline the planning process for future fusion plants. The announcement by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) starts the process of amending regulations to make fusion power plants ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects’ in England and Wales.
This would mean planning applications to build plants are considered under a National Policy Statement that establishes a need for these projects. This will help local authorities deal with the applications quicker, allowing them to focus on specific planning issues rather than on whether the technology itself is required.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate, devolved planning processes and would not be covered by the statement.
Sally Forbes, Fusion Safety Advisory Group Lead at UKAEA, said:
“The production of a Fusion National Policy Statement is part of the next step activities arising from the previous Government consultation on the regulatory framework for fusion energy.
"This proposal reinforces that fusion is a separate entity to fission, which is in line with the clause on fusion included in the Energy Act 2023 which gained Royal Assent last autumn.
"The scope of the consultation on the future Fusion National Policy Statement covers all fusion technologies currently envisaged, and proposes the different open sited criteria that would need to be assessed against when considering a specific site for a fusion energy facility. This will provide clarity to industry as part of the overall planning process.”
This is positive news both for UKAEA's STEP prototype plant and for facilities being planned by private fusion companies, and will be ‘technology-agnostic’ – applying to all types of fusion project.
Paul Methven, CEO of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions, said:
“The launch of formal consultation on a National Policy Statement for fusion energy is very welcome and an important milestone in the journey towards a new energy source, deployed in the right way.
“It reflects the UK’s proactive leadership in fusion energy by putting in place the critical enablers that all fusion developments will need, and in a way that will bring communities and the public along.”
National Policy Statements already cover large infrastructure projects in 12 different areas, including for energy sources such as oil and gas, renewables and nuclear. The proposal for one on fusion is another sign of its growing credibility as a technology.
The DESNZ consultation will gather views on what should be included in the statement before it is drafted and presented for approval by Parliament. It will run until 3rd July 2024 and further details are available here.
The UK is today updating its approach to handling nuclear waste and radioactive substances to continue to prioritise safety, the environment and quicker decommissioning.
Changes will encourage innovation in waste treatment techniques – from greater recycling to research into extracting isotopes from nuclear materials for use in diagnosis and treatment of cancers, with the option of disposal made the last resort. This will minimise impact on the environment and help reduce the amount of waste for disposal.
In addition to England and Wales long-term plans to dispose of the most hazardous radioactive waste in a geological disposal facility hundreds of metres underground, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority will explore using a facility closer to the surface for less hazardous radioactive waste.
While a geological disposal facility is not expected to be ready until the 2050s, a shallower disposal facility – which is up to 200m below ground - could be available within 10 years in England and Wales allowing for quicker decommissioning which will save around £500 million in storage costs. This approach is in line with other nuclear nations including France and Finland.
The framework will also make clear that lightly contaminated rubble and substructures can be disposed of on-site if safe to do so. This will avoid tonnes of waste being bagged up and transported for heavy-duty disposal elsewhere, reducing impact on the environment, with the potential to save a further £500 million over the next 20 years.
Minister for Nuclear Andrew Bowie, said:
"The UK has been a pioneer in nuclear technology, and now we’re taking sensible steps to manage our radioactive waste, while reducing the burden on the environment and taxpayer.
"This will help continue our world-leading nuclear safety record, protect our environment and mean quicker decommissioning of former sites."
Following the example of Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, which have plans to manage spent fuel on site, new nuclear projects will need to ensure they have a robust plan for decommissioning and managing waste.
It comes after the UK government recently announced the biggest of expansion of nuclear power for 70 years and is exploring building a major new power station as well as rolling out a fleet of Small Modular Reactors in England and Wales.
The most hazardous nuclear waste in England and Wales will ultimately be disposed of deep underground in a facility which safely isolates and contains the waste within rock and protective barriers. Less hazardous waste does not need this hyper-secure isolation and can be more quickly and safely disposed of in near-surface disposal facilities. Like a geological disposal facility, this kind of waste facility never needs people to manage it once it has been sealed and closed.
These changes were consulted on from March to May last year and had input from the public, local government, nuclear industry and regulators.
David Peattie, Chief Executive Officer at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, said:
"We welcome the updated policy which takes account of the significant innovation and decommissioning experience that has been developed within the NDA group and wider sector, both in the UK and internationally, in recent years.
"We’ll work closely with our stakeholders and communities to take forward the opportunities created by this new policy, ensuring that we maintain the highest standards of safety and environmental protection to deliver our nationally important decommissioning mission."
Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said:
As one of the UK’s independent nuclear regulators, we have worked closely with government on today’s announcements which we welcome. It is important that the right infrastructure is in place to manage radioactive waste in a way that protects the environment and public health.
We will be working in partnership with our fellow regulators to ensure that this risk-led approach is overseen by robust regulation.