We welcome the government’s pledge to ‘Build Back Greener’ and support to the low carbon power generation sector. We are pleased that there is commitment to bring at least one further large-scale nuclear project by the end of 2024 at the latest. As previously announced in the government’s 10-point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, funding for small and advanced modular reactor programmes and the nuclear fusion sector will further contribute to decarbonisation and the hydrogen economy.
The announcement provides an assurance for the nuclear industry, as we work together to meet the country’s energy requirements. It will also offer a critical boost to the economic recovery through investment in clean, zero carbon generating technology.
This commitment will create and drive growth in highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships and unlock opportunities in remote communities across the UK and the nuclear supply chain and will help deliver the government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda.
Combined with the government’s planned investment in offshore wind and the ambition to create a “world-leading” hydrogen market, the foundations for a decarbonised future are beginning to emerge.
As an established supplier of engineering-related services to energy networks including nuclear, renewable and low carbon programmes in the UK, Mott MacDonald is looking forward to supporting this project alongside many other leading companies.
Claudio Tassistro
Managing director for energy, UK and Europe