Thursday 26 February 2026

Gareth Headdock, Chief Science and Technology Officer and Deputy CEO at United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) reflects on recent developments across the nuclear sector.   

Nuclear Week in Parliament 
Looking around UKNNL’s showcase during Nuclear Week in Parliament last month, it was fantastic to feel the buzz in the room. The room was a hive of activity with UKNNL’s scientific experts from across our facilities demonstrating our cutting-edge research – from how to create Coated Particle Fuel to post-irradiation examination techniques. There were so many different people – MPs, peers, international academics, early career researchers – with everyone talking excitedly about the sector. That enthusiasm captured something important about where British nuclear finds itself today. 

From the MPs representing nuclear heartlands speaking proudly about how our sector supports their communities, to private equity investors pitching reactor concepts, my experience of Nuclear Week in Parliament was that there is genuine excitement about getting projects off the ground and a real dynamism that can be felt across the nuclear sector. 

But optimism alone won’t power Britain’s energy future. We are at a crossroads where words and ideas must be backed by ensuring we have a sector and a national laboratory fit for the challenges ahead and the infrastructure to realise our ambitions. 

The case for a strong national laboratory to convene the sector
Look at any successful nuclear nation and you will find a strong national laboratory at its heart such as Idaho National Laboratory in the United States and CEA in France. These institutions serve as the backbone of their nations’ nuclear ambitions, providing the independent expertise, testing facilities and convening power.  

At UKNNL, as the UK’s lead civil national laboratory for nuclear fission, we are uniquely placed to serve the sector, to see the bigger picture and bring together the many different voices and organisations working across UK nuclear.  

National Laboratories provide the impartial technical expertise that government needs to be an intelligent customer of nuclear technologies, support industry to accelerate the deployment of new systems and work with academia to provide the cutting-edge research and skilled workforce needed for a clean energy future. Recently, we renewed our strategic partnership with Bangor University, committing to continue to build the knowledge base that the sector needs. 

The case for efficiency
A big talking point at Nuclear Week in Parliament and in the weeks that have followed, was the stark findings of the Nuclear Regulatory Review (what has now been commonly referred to as the Fingleton Review). The report noted that while UK government has set out clear nuclear ambitions, as a nation, we’re hampered by regulatory risk aversion and complexity marking us the most expensive place in the world to develop nuclear power. 

From the conversations I had in the corridors of Westminster and with colleagues across the sector since, the consensus is clear: we can’t carry on as we are if we are to turn the optimism of the sector into action. The recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Review are welcome and necessary to help the nation to modernise and develop the next generation of nuclear more efficiently while ensuring rigorous safety standards. UKNNL has connections and influence across the whole of our sector, and we will work to help deliver the recommendations of the report with our partners. 

A Framework for the future
The recent publication of the Advanced Nuclear Framework was welcome. The UK is transitioning to light water reactor deployment with recent announcements regarding Sizewell C and Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactors, in addition to European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) deployment at Hinkley Point C. The Advanced Nuclear Framework provides an engagement route for the wider vendor community to gain endorsement from the UK Government against five key criteria –technology, development, finance, siting and operations. I’m sure the Small Modular Reactor, Advanced Modular Reactor and Micro Modular Reactor communities will respond positively to this opportunity to access the capabilities, facilities and expertise they need to deploy innovative new technologies. With the existing Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor fleet approaching end of life, the sector needs to act quickly to develop advanced nuclear technologies which can power the UK for decades to come. 

The Framework explicitly recognises UKNNL’s central role in enabling the private sector to de-risk and accelerate the development and commercialisation of advanced nuclear technologies, particularly noting our Post Irradiation Examination Capability as a key national asset.  We look forward to working with the next generation of innovators to help build a clean energy future.  

From optimism to outcomes
The appetite for nuclear in Britain has never been stronger and the ingredients for success are in place. What we need now is the collective will to invest in our national infrastructure, streamline how we work, and ensure that we have the resources to support the sector at this critical crossroads. 

At UKNNL, we stand ready to play our part – as technical advisor, research partner, and custodian of the capabilities that will underpin Britain’s nuclear future. The enthusiasm I witnessed in Westminster was inspiring. Now let’s turn that energy into action.