National Nuclear Laboratory given new mission and role

The National Nuclear Laboratory has been given a new mission and role following a strategic review.

Set up in 2008, NNL – which has bases in Workington and at the Sellafield site – is the UK’s lead civil national laboratory for nuclear fission. It was formed out of British Nuclear Fuel Limited.

Results of a strategic review by the Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have been published today.

As a result, it will be renamed the United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory, adopt the Government’s coat of arms and work more closely with the Government to drive forward the nation’s nuclear ambitions.

Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Lord Hunt said: “The strategic review sets out a bold vision of transformation, with Government taking a more directive role in its ownership of UKNNL and empowering the laboratory to deliver across the sector.

“Closer alignment will also support Government in remaining an intelligent customer of nuclear technologies and focus the laboratory’s resources upon delivering national priorities while retaining sight on innovation and capability development.”

NNL, which employs 1,600 people across nine sites, was set up using a public corporation model, but the review said: “The public corporation model limits investment to a level that can be supported by NNL’s balance sheet.

“It has therefore been impossible for NNL to sustain investment at a level required by facilities costing billions to build and tens of millions to maintain whilst simultaneously growing the capacity of its technical capabilities.

“Challenges have consequently arisen following an increase in demand for NNL’s services to underpin the regeneration of the UK nuclear sector to meet net zero and defence commitments.

“Delivery performance has come under pressure, amplified by legacy facility issues and resource constraints which has strained relationships with key stakeholders.”

It said the organisation was hampered by historic underinvestment, much of which predated NNL and was later constrained by its model.

The review said it identified uncertainty within the sector relating to the mission and role of NNL, so has set out a new mission for the organisation and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will galvanise NNL into a more nationally focused organisation.

Its new mission is to enable and deliver nuclear outcomes for Government, and to support the growth of the entire UK nuclear sector.

It means it will:

• Be a custodian of national capabilities and infrastructure critical for national and energy security
• Become Government’s lead civil technical and strategic advisor for nuclear fuels and nuclear materials
• Carry out research to continue securing the safe operation of nuclear plants domestically and internationally
• Deliver practical nuclear research and enable decommissioning programmes
• Provide expertise and facilities to be a platform for the private sector to accelerate the deployment of technology to market
• Champion and nurture advanced nuclear skills

NNL said its purpose remained the same – nuclear science to benefit society.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will take a more engaged stance in its ownership of UKNNL and “focus its finite resources on stewarding critical capabilities to address national priorities.”

UKNNL will continue to serve both the civil and defence nuclear sectors through retaining the facilities it currently operates. UKNNL should remain the operator of the UK’s Active Handling Capabilities.

No work undertaken by the laboratory has been identified that should be immediately ceased.

However, although UKNNL operates effectively as a sub-tenant on its key sites, which creates some dependencies on others, it is suggested that UKNNL should not seek to obtain a site licence at Sellafield due to the additional complexity this would introduce, the review said.

Prof Paul Howarth, CEO of UKNNL said: “With this review in place, our mission is clearer than ever and we welcome its publication. We will be rising to the privileged position of being the Government’s lead civil National Nuclear Laboratory, focusing on how and where we add the greatest value for customers and wider UK society.

“I would like to thank colleagues at NNL, and officials at DESNZ and across Government for their significant work towards this review, which ensures we can serve UK Government across all relevant areas of policy more easily and more efficiently.

“The review is unequivocal about the value NNL has delivered and enabled over many years and the pivotal role we have played in securing the future of the industry. It has identified specific opportunities for improvement which we will address in order to achieve peak performance in the future.

“With the support and partnership of our key stakeholders – and greater certainty and clarity about the position of UK nuclear policy – we can grow and adapt with confidence.”

Lord Hunt said: “We want to maximise the huge potential of our world-class research facilities to drive nuclear innovation, supporting our mission to become a clean energy superpower, with a new era of clean electricity.

“The UK National Nuclear Laboratory will play an essential role in supporting the UK’s nuclear programme – from the fuels we use to power reactors of the future, to safe and effective decommissioning of our nuclear legacy.”