As news of the first British site for Rolls-Royce SMR was announced, plenty of people celebrated while the U.S. was left disappointed by the decision.
We posted yesterday about this news, and although we want a strong bond between the UK and the U.S., British nuclear needs to plant its foot on home ground. We see no reason why other sites cannot be found elsewhere for future new builds; however, the site at Anglesey was something Westinghouse had their sights on.
The U.S. are interested in larger-scale nuclear projects, and utilising Westinghouse is seen as a faster, cheaper and already approved way to get cleaner, more affordable energy to the UK.
The AP300 leverages proven AP1000 tech for regulatory ease, offers simplified design for lower cost and faster construction with proven passive safety systems (gravity-fed cooling, natural circulation).
While everyone has their wants and needs over energy management and the nuclear future in Britian, we would do well to keep U.S.-UK relations strong, but really, only time will tell what’s next.
One thing’s for sure; a focus on skills and talent is going to be crucial. Britain has many nuclear and energy related infrastructure projects on-going and, in the future plans, the competition for top talent is rife and it’s only going to increase.
For those wanting to truly get ahead, we must address the skills gap at mid-career and look to succession plan up to the executive level. The sharing of expert knowledge and experience is crucial while transitioning talent into civil nuclear and energy. If we are to meet demand, we have to take our recruitment strategies seriously.
Picture: Getty Images