The British civil nuclear industry plays a vital role in ensuring a balanced, environmentally responsible future for the UK and the world. The companies that make up the British civil nuclear industry have been engaged in the development of civil nuclear power for over 50 years and, together, these companies possess an unrivalled experience and a safety record that is amongst the best in the world. The British nuclear industry employs directly and indirectly about 80,000 highly qualified people in the UK, provides about 20% of the UK's electricity and earns the UK about £700 million per year from overseas business.

Generation: Britain has 23 operating commercial nuclear power reactors in 11 power stations, of three different types: eight Magnox (gas-cooled reactors), fourteen AGRs (Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors) and one PWR (Pressurised Water Reactor). All the Magnox stations are owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and operated under contract by Magnox Electric Ltd, while the AGRs and PWR are owned and operated by British Energy. The UK's oldest reactor, and the world's first commercial nuclear power station, Calder Hall, a Magnox-type station, closed in 2003, having exceeded 40 years of life. Britain's newest station, and only PWR, Sizewell B, started commercial operation in 1996.

Fuel cycle: The UK industry has a complete nuclear fuel cycle capability for all light water and gas-cooled reactor types. Uranium enrichment is provided by Urenco using highly efficient ultra-centrifuge technology. The manufacture of power reactor fuel, including MOX (Mixed Oxide) fuel, the transport of fresh and spent fuel, the reprocessing of spent fuel, and the recycling of the recovered uranium and plutonium into fresh fuel, including MOX fuel, is all carried out by BNFL and Westinghouse.

Construction, maintenance and operational support: NIA members have a complete design, manufacture, construction and operational support capability for nuclear power and fuel cycle facilities. British contractors, manufacturers and engineers have gained extensive experience from the building, operation, maintenance and upgrading of nuclear plant and facilities in the UK and abroad. State of the art inspection techniques have been developed which have been applied in the lifetime management of many reactors worldwide.

Decommissioning: The research facilities from earlier programmes and some of the earlier power reactors and fuel cycle facilities are now shut down and/or being decommissioned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Managing and dealing with these nuclear liabilities effectively is an important activity and an area where the UK can offer considerable expertise and skill.

Waste management: The British nuclear industry offers extensive capabilities in the area of radioactive waste management, including waste segregation, categorisation, handling, encapsulation, minimisation, stabilisation, packaging, storage and disposal for all types of radioactive wastes. Most low-level waste (LLW) arising in the UK is disposed in shallow concrete vaults at the low level waste repository before at Drigg. Intermediate-level wastes (ILW) encapsulated in cement in stainless steel containers and high-level waste (HLW), vitrified in stainless steel seal-welded containers are currently held in engineered surface stores, pending final disposal. The recommendation from the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management has recommended deep geological disposal for these higher level wastes and the British industry has acquired considerable expertise, knowledge and understanding in this area.

Projects and investment abroad: The British nuclear industry is a major exporter of technology and skills and British companies often work in close collaboration with non-UK companies on projects world-wide. Exploiting the UK's early lead and British strengths, particularly in the areas of the nuclear fuel cycle, operational support, waste management and decommissioning, British companies are playing an increasingly important role as owner, operator, engineer, consultant, contractor, supplier and investor in the global nuclear energy industry.

For more information on the companies forming the sector, go to the list of member companies.