Developing a new nuclear site in the UK faces challenges in three main areas: strategic and economic regulatory issues, supply chain and operational delivery issues, and intangible reputational and human resource issues. Key challenges include high costs, gaining public acceptance, managing the project lifecycle, developing the nuclear supply chain and workforce skills, and navigating the regulatory process. Nuclear power presents an option for reducing carbon emissions but developing new sites will require overcoming substantial political, economic, and social hurdles.

1. NUCLEAR
What are the key challenges
involved with developing
a nuclear site in the UK ?
Guillaume FERY
Presentation made
twitter.com/gfery before the Fukushima
accident in Japan in
April 2011

2. Nuclear power
An expensive, controversial, risky and …
inevitable priority
to develop decarbonized energy
in the next decade.
Strategic, Delivery, Intangible,
Economic Supply chain reputational
& regulatory & Operational & HR
issues issues issues

3. CO2 molecule
More energy needed – CO2 emissions
= Nuclear's comeback ?

4. New electric needs. electric car, train, etc. : Fossil energy : consequences of
Ex: Nissan Leaf shortage (peak oil)
Is the grid compatible Biofuel : a good idea gone bad ?
with intermitent green supply ?

5. The blackout ?

6. Nuclear's future in the UK 19 existing plants
Facts & figures generating about 18%
of UK's electricity
18 closed by 2023
8 nominated sites
4 new plants to be built
+9 early steps projects
Cost of decommissioning : £50 billions
Replacement of the existing capacity alone £20 billions A GPB100 billion
Grid and others
project
Sources
Energy Trends Dpt of Energy & Climate Change UK
Nuclear industry association
Managing the Nuclear Legacy report

7. Developing a new nuclear site is
Around £ 2 billions or ...
7 Airbus A380 100,000 MINIs
100 high speed trains 200 miles of motorways

8. Can nuclear power
be competitive
in the UK ?
Investment + operations + maintenance + uranium supply
+ waste management + dismantling – CO2 permits

9. Current and future
Regulation
Interaction with
Public / private
stakeholders

10. Manage and
anticipate the
whole project
lifecycle
Source Zicon and World Nuclear association

11. Public acceptance

12. The 8 nominated sites for the next nuclear plants
Site location
« NIMBY »
syndrom
Energy and climate change dpt UK

13. Tackling the
skills challenge

14. Mapping the key challenges
Mid term
Waste
management
Energy Energy 2.0
independence +smart grid R&D
Education Public
Nuclear Acceptance
Skills
training
Low Carbon
Economy
General Business/private
Implementation
responsability actions
Decomissionning
Policies,
Market
reforms & Strengthen
regulation Financing Supply
chain
Short term

15. « If we fail to develop new nuclear plants in the UK, we
will see a rise in energy costs.(…) This country needs
nuclear. We are there to bring a solution to the problem.»
Vincent de Rivaz
EDF ENERGY - CEO
The Sunday Mail
February 14th, 2011
Time for action
… let's do it !

16. Thank you.
Guillaume FERY
Blog: http://orignal.blogspirit.com
twitter.com/gfery

17. Appendix

19. Origin of electricity today

20. Today we are talking about nuclear development in the uk
and various implications involved with this trend

21. But really, what are we talking about ?
Here is how I how see the issue
Nuclear power is ...
To me, there are several ways to analyse the reborn
of nuclear power and to analyse the challenges to
face with developing a new site.
(règle de 3) : I see 3 level of challenges
•Strategic,
•Operational
•intangible
But to begin with, let's come back to the roots of this
nuclear's comeback

22. Globally, Talking about ENERGY
THIS IS THE KEY CHALLENGE !
At least for the next few decades, there are only a few realistic
options for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from electricity
generation:
•We can :
•‡increase efficiency in electricity generation and use;
•‡expand use of renewable energy sources
•‡capture carbon dioxide emissions at fossil-fueled (especially
coal) electric
•‡increase use of nuclear power.

23. Here are the trends and the facts
Buofuel and the competition with land
use.

24. Can we afford to do nothing ?
3 major risks :
•The black out
•The rise of the energy prices (cf fuel) and lack of energy
independence
•Climate change and CO2 impact (use of coal and gas)

25. That's is why, new nuclear development is clearly an option.
What is the current situation in the UK ?

26. But Talking about new sites is talking about big money !
Who is going to pay for that ?

27. A challenge is to Make nuclear market attractive for
private investors
In most deregulated markets nuclear power is not now cost
competitive with COAL or GAS.
...but what about carbon issue.
Emissions permit can make Nuclear competitive

28. The regulatory challenge
Necessary reforms include a minimum price for carbon
permits and so-called capacity payments to low-carbon
generators
Market reform
Consultation process
Global standards for safety
Link with the authorities & regulators
EX: UK Atomic Energy Authority

29. ANOTHER CHALLENGE IN A long term project
DEVELOPING A NEW SITE itself : (2011/2018) 7 years
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Nuclear Fuel
Embrace From cradle to grave
management
• Design / technology (EPR, etc.)
•Mining
•Manufacturing and components
•Conversion,
• Supply chain and logistics
Enrichment and Fuel
• Engineering support
Fabrication
•Electricity Generation
Effects of delays
•Used Fuel
HR aspects on the construction site
Management
•Waste Management
ABOUT THE DELIVERY •Decommissioning
Strenghthen the UK nuclear industry •Transport
supply chain:
•BAE Systems, Doosan Power Systems =>Manage transition
•Rolls-Royce, Westinghouse on the existing sites
•AREVA

30. In public opinions Nuclear = fears
On a technical point of view (risk) or ethical protest
(future generation, etc.)
Some of us remeber Tchernobil 25 years ago.
Recently EDF admitted failures in france
Short terms : operations (nuclear leakage)
Long term : waste & disposal
NGO protest
Recently (14fev)
NIA challenges WWF and Greenpeace 'subsidy' claim

31. Who is OK to have a nuclear plant in his hown area ?
(NIMBY)
NB : In some cases, the site already exists
Difference between areas of consumtions and areas of
production = protests and tensions
Developing a new site = local problems
Image risks,
Impact for the property value
Communication
People involvement
Connections with NGOs

32. Last but not least, the knowledge & skills challenge
SKILLS
Civil engineering
Maintenance
R&D
Technological
Planning, project management
Young people : are the specialities very attractive at school ?
Scientific careers
Nuclear specialists
Cf initiatives such as nuclear skills passport by Nuclear association
EXAMPLE :
In France AREVA is hiring 5 000 technicians and engineers.
Universities only graduate 350 nuclear engineers every year !

33. AS A CONCLUSION
I wrote this matrix to summarize the key
challenges involved in developing a new nuclear
site in the UK

34. To end this presentation, let's listen to what EDF Energy
CEO Vincent de RIVAZ said last week-end in the
newspaper