Govt tees up Cumbria site for nuclear future
The Prime Minister has confirmed that 600 acres next to Sellafield is to be redeveloped as part of the government’s investment into clean power with small modular nuclear reactors seen as the preferred option.
Known as ‘mini nukes’, a single SMR could potentially generate enough energy to power 970,000 homes, according to the European Commission.
SMRs benefit from being smaller and faster to erect and fire up, compared to a traditional nuclear power station, although they lack the power capacity of their larger cousins.
However, Cumberland Council has said no concrete decision has been made on what the site, owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, will be used for. It could alternatively be used for solar and wind power generation.
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Unlocking the potential of Moorside for clean energy is a significant step forward in our Plan for Change, supporting skilled jobs, economic growth, and energy security in Cumbria and across the UK.
“By working closely with local partners, we can ensure that this historic region continues to lead the way in clean energy innovation, delivering real benefits for communities and protecting billpayers for years to come.”
The Prime Minister announced the plan along with confirmation of a £14.2bn investment to build Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk as part of the spending review, ending years of delay.
Energy minister Michael Shanks has asked both Cumberland Council and the NDA to explore a clean energy development intended to improve the country’s energy security.
He added: “Cumbria has a fantastic nuclear legacy, and opening up this land for development will build on the region’s energy expertise.
“This could lead to new jobs and economic growth in Cumbria, while boosting the nation’s energy security and protecting family finances.”
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Cllr Mark Fryer, Leader of Cumberland Council, praised the news, adding his council is “fully committed” to working in lockstep with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to “deliver maximum value and benefit” from the land at Moorside.
Cllr Fryer added that an SMR would be his preference for the site and the move would “unquestionably provide [Cumbria] with the most power capacity for the size of land being made available”.
With an agreement for the release of the land now reached, work is underway to make the land available.
A market engagement process with nuclear and other clean energy developers is due to be launched this summer.
The announcement comes as Rolls-Royce SMR has won the Great British Nuclear competition to be the first company to attempt to build SMRs in the UK, although Rolls-Royce has not yet signed on to any UK sites.
The last time a nuclear facility was courted by the region was in 2018, when Moorside had been identified by NuGen for a power plant. However, that plan was abandoned, and NuGen has since been dissolved after parent Toshiba stepped out of the UK nuclear market.
More disappointment followed in 2022 when Moorside was overlooked for a prototype STEP fusion reactor, which would have been a £222m investment into the region.
Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, said: “Unlocking this land gives us our best chance at new nuclear since the collapse of NuGen.
“Now we have the government behind us and an agreement on the use of the land, we can motor ahead to deliver Pioneer Park at pace.
MacAlister added he would “do everything in [his] power” to secure West Cumbria’s nuclear future.
