The Technology Strategy Board, the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority are to jointly make available up to £13 million early next year to develop the UK’s nuclear supply chain. The funding is part of an initiative to encourage UK businesses to develop innovative products and services for the nuclear sector. It will focus on areas such as construction, manufacturing, operation, maintenance, decommissioning and waste.

Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon said: “We are committed to nuclear power as part of the low-carbon mix of our future energy supply. Through our nuclear industrial strategy, we are working in partnership with industry to grasp the multi-billion-pound long-term opportunities for UK companies and for thousands of highly skilled jobs. We want to build a robust UK-based supply chain for existing and future nuclear power stations.”

Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board, said: “This country has strengths in a wide range of technologies that will contribute to our growing domestic civil
nuclear programme, as well as taking advantage of significant global market opportunities. We will be focusing our support to ensure that UK businesses have the opportunity to engage fully in these programmes.”