New jobs and investment at risk without new Scottish plants, NIA Chief Executive, says.
Nuclear sector’s contribution to Scotland’s economy grows by a third in 2024, driven by new build projects in England, Oxford Economics study shows.
One third of Scottish nuclear jobs - including high-wage, skilled roles - are in the most deprived areas of the country.
A new report shows Scotland’s nuclear power sector grew by almost a third in 2024 to £1.5 billion compared to three years ago, with the sector directly employing 5,100 people and supporting 18,500 jobs across the country, largely driven by new nuclear projects in England including Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C.
The latest Economic Impact of the Civil Nuclear Industry report, compiled by Oxford Economics and commissioned by the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA), shows the sector generated an extra £350 million for the Scottish economy in gross value added (GVA) in 2024, up from £1.1 billion in 2021, a 32% rise.
The report highlights how nuclear brings jobs and investment to some of the most deprived parts of the country, with 30% of direct employment in the sector occurring in the most deprived 10% of local authorities.
Scottish workers are playing a vital role in building the new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C in Somerset. 170 Scottish firms have contracts to work on the new power station with over £280 million spent with Scottish firms to date, compared to a £5.3 billion spend with businesses in the South West of England and 27,000 direct jobs supported. NIA analysis shows a comparable contribution would be felt in Scotland should a new nuclear project be built there.
Scotland’s last remaining nuclear power station, Torness – the country’s most productive clean energy asset – is due to close in 2030, however, with no plans to build new capacity, and would leave Scotland with no clean baseload power.
Across the UK in 2024, the civil nuclear sector contributed £20 billion to the economy in 2024, underpinned by a record workforce which has soared 35% to 87,000 people since 2021, with the vast majority in England. Each nuclear sector employee contributed an average of £92,000 in GVA to the economy with the sector paying around £9.1 billion in tax payments.
Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said:
“Scotland is benefiting from the jobs and growth coming with new nuclear plants being built in England, but with no new nuclear of its own, Scotland will lose out on billions in investment and thousands of well-paid, skilled jobs.
“Scots have always been a significant part of the nuclear industry – with renowned engineers and physicists coming through the Scottish education system, but despite the integral role nuclear plays in keeping electricity in Scotland green, without future plants young Scots will lose out on those opportunities at home.
“More and more countries across the world, including Canada, Finland, Sweden and Poland, are pursuing new nuclear because they know that a resilient energy system, with a mix of firm and variable power, is vital for a strong economy. Scotland should follow the science and back nuclear.”
Scottish Secretary, Ian Murray said:
“Investing in nuclear power represents energy security and a gateway to thousands of skilled jobs. It would bring millions of pounds in wages and economic growth to communities all over Scotland. The Scottish Government continues to block any movement on this safe, green energy that would turbocharge the Scottish economy. As long as they maintain that position jobs and investment that could be coming to Scotland will head elsewhere.”
Sam Moore, Managing Director, Economic Consultancy Oxford Economics, said:
“The nuclear sector continues to make a strong contribution to Scotland’s economy, sustaining thousands of jobs and creating opportunities for Scottish businesses. It also provides well-paid jobs in areas which really need them, including in some of the most deprived areas of the country. That is on top of the vital role the sector plays in providing energy security and clean power, cutting Scotland’s reliance on fossil fuels and strengthening its energy resilience.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The full report can be accessed here: https://www.niauk.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-Economic-Impact-of-the-Civil-Nuclear-Industry.pdf
- Economic impact analysis of the UK’s civil nuclear sector was undertaken by Oxford Economics in the first quarter of 2025.
- The UK has nine reactors across five nuclear sites providing around 14% of the country’s electricity from 5.9 GW of capacity. Of the current fleet only Sizewell B will be in operation after March 2030. Hinkley Point C is due to come online by the end of the decade.
About the NIA
As the trade association for the civil nuclear industry in the UK, the Nuclear Industry
Association represents 300 companies across the UK’s nuclear supply chain.
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