Opened the debate
The nuclear industry at Dungeness has been significant since the 1960s, currently employing about 1,000 people in decommissioning and defueling activities. The site is well-suited for future energy production due to its location near high-demand areas like London and existing grid connections. However, it was not included on the 2011 siting list due to environmental constraints. Despite this, there are areas available for small modular reactors (SMRs), which could potentially fit within the brownfield site of Dungeness A.
Government Response
Graham Stuart
It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Cummins—I think it is the first time I have had the privilege. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe, who, from his maiden speech onwards, has made it his business to champion the interests of the nuclear industry in Dungeness and, most importantly, his constituents who work there. It was interesting to hear that there are still 1,000 people working in nuclear in the area, given that Dungeness B ceased producing power in 2018. Dungeness has a proud place in the UK's nuclear history with two nuclear power stations. The Government recognise the important role that nuclear energy plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 and ensuring our energy security. That is why we published the British energy security strategy in April 2022, making a firm commitment to new nuclear. The strategy sets out an ambition to deploy up to 24 GW of nuclear power by 2050, representing around 25% of projected electricity demand in the UK economy. Hinkley Point C is at the forefront of our plans and will make a vital contribution to our energy security by generating 7% of Great Britain's current electricity demand, providing more than 25,000 new employment opportunities during construction and training over 1,000 apprentices as of October 2022. We need more new nuclear beyond Hinkley Point C, which is why we invested £700 million in Sizewell C, making the Government a 50% shareholder in the project's development with EDF. This will facilitate 3.2 GW of reliable electricity and support about 10,000 jobs at the peak of construction as well as plans to create 1,500 apprenticeships. The British energy security strategy also announced the Government's intention to set up a new flagship body, Great British Nuclear or GBN, tasked with helping projects through the development process and developing a resilient pipeline of new-build projects. We will make an announcement on the setup of GBN in the not-too-distant future, developed in close collaboration with industry. SMRs could offer a potential route for the UK to enhance its capability in engineering and manufacturing, bringing significant regional and socioeconomic benefits, including the creation of high-value manufacturing and engineering jobs. To support this development, we have been progressing through the advanced nuclear fund, which includes a Government investment of up to £210 million to develop the Rolls-Royce SMR, and up to £170 million to support advanced modular reactor demonstrations. We are also providing greater funding for future nuclear development with the £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund to support new nuclear projects, including SMRs, and the £75 million Nuclear Fuel Fund to get ourselves and our allies off dependence on Russian uranium. To reflect the changing technological and policy landscape and to support the transition to net zero, we will develop a new national policy statement for nuclear energy infrastructure deployable after 2025, subject to public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny in due course. We would welcome views from Dungeness's community, Kent County Council, and Folkestone and Hythe District Council as part of that consultation. In conclusion, the Government are putting in place a wide range of measures to help achieve our nuclear ambitions and support the transition to net zero.