The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) welcomes the chance to respond to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s consultation on Planning for New Energy Infrastructure: revised draft National Policy Statements.
The NIA is the trade association and representative body for the civil nuclear industry in the UK. We represent around 270 companies operating across all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, including the current and prospective operators of nuclear power stations, international designers, and vendors of nuclear power stations, and those engaged in decommissioning, waste management and nuclear liabilities management. Members also include nuclear equipment suppliers, engineering and construction firms, nuclear research organisations, and legal, financial and consultancy companies.
Due to the diversity of our membership, our views in this submission will cover high-level, industry-wide matters. Our members may choose to make their own detailed submissions.
Summary Recommendations:
- Nuclear should be designated a Critical National Priority.
- National Policy Statements relevant to nuclear should be adopted and updated as quickly as possible to provide certainty in the planning process and to expedite the deployment of nuclear projects.
- Advanced Nuclear Technologies should not be subject to Strategic Siting Assessments as the modular concept requires fleet deployment and high unit volume across multiple sites.
Please click here to view our full response.