Great British Nuclear

Great British Nuclear supports the UK’s nuclear industry by providing better opportunities to build and invest.

About GBN

Great British Nuclear (GBN) will deliver the government’s long-term nuclear programme and support the government’s ambition to deliver up to 24GW of nuclear power in the UK by 2050. This could mean nearly a quarter of the UK’s total power demands being met by low-carbon, secure nuclear energy, supporting the UK’s energy security, and contributing to our net zero targets.

Our inaugural Chairman is Simon Bowen and Chief Executive is Gwen Parry Jones OBE. Both currently serve as interim office holders and together are building a staffing team of equally experienced industry professionals and public servants.

Earlier this year, the government published their Civil Nuclear Roadmap, setting out plans to boost the UK’s energy security and achieve net zero carbon emissions with up to a quarter of Britain’s energy produced from nuclear power by 2050. Access to nuclear sites is a critical factor in achieving these nuclear ambitions, which included deploying Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and exploring a further large-scale reactor project after Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. 

Responsibilities

GBN has rapidly established itself as the government’s delivery body for new nuclear and has started this vital mission by delivering the SMR competition to help deliver net zero and promote energy security. This roadmap sets out the role of GBN, which will also:

• Deliver other parts of government civil nuclear programme
• Advise government on a broad range of industry and

Our work so far:

It has started this vital mission with delivery of the SMR competition to help deliver Net Zero and promote energy security. The Small Modular Reactor (SMR) selection programme is part of the government’s plan to revive nuclear power and for the UK to lead the global race to develop cutting-edge technologies to rapidly deliver cleaner, cheaper energy and greater energy security. The government’s ambition is for up to a quarter of all UK electricity to come from nuclear power by 2050.

“Our priority in this process has been to prioritise reliable and sustainable power to the grid early, and that’s why we have focused our first step on the technologies that we viewed as most likely to meet the objective of a final investment decision in 2029”.

Gwen Parry-Jones
CEO

This year, GBN has also announced it is buying land for new nuclear development from Hitachi at both Wylfa in Ynys Môn/Anglesey and Oldbury-on-Severn in Gloucestershire. GBN will focus on sites like Wylfa and Oldbury first and potentially others that have a proud legacy of involvement in the UK nuclear industry. The government is currently consulting on a future approach to nuclear sites which could include non-nuclear sites considered in later phases.

“We are already making progress on our nuclear revival, securing two sites with strong potential to host new projects and help deliver the biggest expansion of nuclear power in 70 years. Wylfa and Oldbury-on-Severn have proud nuclear histories and stand to benefit from local investment and high-skilled jobs, alongside cleaner, cheaper power for households across the country”.

Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero