The nuclear industry is helping to support thousands of jobs in Bristol and the wider West Country, according to new figures published by French energy giant EDF.
The state-owned company behind Somerset’s Hinkley Point C power plant said the growth of the sector in the region had boosted employment in areas such as engineering, manufacturing, logistics, training and research.
The EDF ‘jobs map’ shows 3,500 roles in Bristol are supported by the industry, while the figure rises to more than 27,000 – three times more than in 2014 – for the South West of England.
Andrew Cockcroft, head of social Impact at Hinkley Point C, said: “The South West went first with new nuclear at Hinkley Point C and Bristol is reaping the rewards. The project has been a catalyst to attract new businesses and growth to the city, supporting thousands of highly skilled, well-paid jobs and making Bristol a national centre of nuclear expertise.”
Plans for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) at Oldbury and Berkeley in Gloucestershire are also expected to create more employment opportunities over the coming years. Rolls-Royce is eyeing a 40-acre park in the county – now owned by zero carbon energy developer Chiltern Vital Group (CVG) – for its mini nukes.
Alastair Evans, Rolls-Royce SMR’s director of corporate and government affairs, said: “The South West has played a vital role throughout the entire history of the nuclear industry, providing generations of uniquely skilled people and suppliers. I’m delighted it can also have an important part in its future, with Oldbury and Berkeley sites being targeted as potential locations for a new generation of Small Modular Reactors.”
According to EDF, more than 300 Bristol-based businesses have won contracts at Hinkley Point C, worth more than £2bn. Among firms expanding in the region are engineering company Laing O’Rourke and French nuclear reactor business Framatome, which have opened new factories in Avonmouth building modular parts for the Somerset project.
Phil Smith, managing director of Business West, added: “Bristol, the economic engine of the South West, sits at the centre of the region’s new era of exciting expansion into the production of low-carbon energy.
“Tackling the UK’s critical challenges of energy prices, energy resilience, and achieving net zero, the region’s burgeoning developments in offshore wind, EV batteries, and in particular new nuclear projects, will be dependent on Bristol’s powerhouse of academia, engineering, and professional services.”