Digital in Nuclear: our vision for 2035

The UK government has boldly set out to ‘lead the charge to global net zero’, positioning the UK as an international forerunner for greener energy. It is the first economy to have entered a legally binding target to reach net‑zero emissions by 2050, while aiming to fully decarbonise the UK’s energy system by 2035.

As evidenced in our most recent build rate analysis, published in January 2024, this will require an unprecedented increase in new electricity generation built each year. A five‑fold increase, in fact. In the past five years, the annual build rate – how much new generation comes online each year – has averaged 3.2GW/ year. This means we will require up to 16GW of new generation to become operational each year, every year, from now until 2035 to meet the target. This is the equivalent of building the UK’s entire energy system twice over, in less than 13 years. These numbers paint a stark picture; time is not on our side.

Nuclear has been identified as a crucial player in achieving this goal, thanks to its position as the second‑lowest emitter of CO2 of any generating source, second only to onshore wind. And with the constraints on wind power (evidenced in the record‑breaking energy price increase in November 2021 due to a lack of wind), nuclear must play a key role in delivering a sustainable Net Zero. But nuclear isn’t without its own blockers. From a new build perspective, Hinkley Point C is currently predicted to come online before the end of the decade, while construction and commissioning of Sizewell C is expected in the mid-2030s.

“Many industries continue to operate in the same ways, with onsite uncertainty, bottlenecks and a lack of early warnings for potential issues, while hoping for better outcomes. Taking a digital approach creates a single‑source of truth with a 360‑degree view of the project and give clients peace of mind and reputational security that their projects can be delivered on time and on budget.” Darren Grears, Director, Head of Digital, Nuclear and Power, EMEA, AtkinsRéalis

With the clock ticking, we must look at how nuclear can follow suit and make use of the increase in pace that digital can provide.

Meanwhile, the life of the UK’s existing nuclear fleet is being extended beyond its original end of generation dates, to help ensure security of supply and tackle the recent dramatic spikes in wholesale gas prices, which are set to impact energy prices for years to come. Without these extensions, ten reactors would have already closed before the beginning of this decade. We must optimise this extension with digital transformation – from capturing data to automating maintenance checks – to increase efficiency.

Despite all this life extension, eight more nuclear reactors are due to go offline by the end of the decade, joining the 36 reactors already being overseen by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Given the need for new power, the dismantling of these sites must be expedited, to free‑up the land for new nuclear facilities. Here again, we need to make use of digital for its efficient delivery.

Unfortunately for us, we also have a second key challenge that needs tackling across the nuclear lifecycle: the skills gap. Simply put, we need more people. This unprecedented build rate will require a huge workforce, the number of people working at Hinkley Point C surpassed 22,000 people in 2021, with a cumulative 74,000 people expected to have contributed to the project by the end of the construction phase. The operations and maintenance stage of the nuclear lifecycle portrays a similar issue.

At the other end of the lifecycle, the UK’s seven AGR stations will all be entering the decommissioning phase within the next decade; requiring a vast workforce to deliver this work. The problem is compounded when we look at the nuclear industry’s workforce demographics: 39% of personnel are over the age of 50, while only 15% are under 304. We’re approaching a tipping point, where much of the workforce retires, taking with them their knowledge. Once more, we must plug this gap in expertise with digital. We need to rapidly gather the information stored in the minds of the highly skilled older generations, and we must rely on digital tools to automate some of the tasks previously being performed by the shrinking workforce.

“Looking to the future, we cannot afford to continue on as we are. We are on a burning platform, and without the benefits of digital – efficiency, reduced costs, increased safety and sustainability – the future of the industry is uncertain.” Sam Stephens, Director, Head of Digital, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis