The future of the nuclear sector has been on display for a top Government civil servant.
Permanent Secretary to Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Sarah Munby visited Central Lab at Sellafield and saw The National Nuclear Laboratory facility’s ground-breaking research and development work first hand.
The lab has been hailed as a key asset to UK and global nuclear research and development and central to help realise the UK’s science superpower ambitions.
NNL’s scientists spoke to the Permanent Secretary about their work on the advanced fuels programme which will underpin the nuclear fuels of the future, ensuring we can have sovereign UK manufacturing capabilities once again.
The senior civil servant also heard about their work on the existing nuclear fleet and how NNL is bringing together expertise from across academia, research and industry to develop the UK’s capability for space-based nuclear power systems.
Ms Munby said: “As part of our visit we saw prototype space batteries, new processes for fuel development for future advanced reactors – underlining the way the site not only handles so much of our nuclear history, but is also building the capabilities and people that will underpin the commitments we have made to our nuclear future.”
The Permanent Secretary was joined by members of NNL’s leadership team and two of the lab’s West Cumbrian scientific apprentices Chloe Edmondson and Kerry Jackson, UK Nuclear Apprentice of the Year, who explained NNL’s approach to bringing new, high paid and high-skilled jobs to the North West as well as vast manufacturing and supply chain opportunities.
Dr Paul Howarth, chief executive officer at NNL said: “We were pleased to show the Permanent Secretary around our laboratory and bring to life how our nuclear research and development is benefitting society, from the development of clean energy solutions to help the UK reach Net Zero, to future space missions.
“NNL also has a lifetime collaboration agreement with Sellafield – this has benefited the services we provide on every level and is helping to ensure the UK is match-fit when it comes to environmental restoration.”
