CUMBRIA'S Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) have welcomed the 'firm' commitment to growing the UK's nuclear sector following the 2023 budget announcement. 

In the budget, the Chancellor made several commitments to growing the sector, including launching Great British Nuclear (GBN) and the first competition for Small Modular Reactors with a commitment to selecting the leading technologies by the end of this year.

It was also confirmed that nuclear energy will also be included in the green taxonomy, to encourage private investment, whilst up to £20 billion in funding would go towards early deployment for carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS), unlocking job creation, particularly in the North West.

Jo Lappin, chief executive at the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said: "This is a welcome vote of confidence in the prominent role that nuclear can play in the UK’s future energy generation.

"It’s particularly promising to see that Small Modular Reactors – which could be delivered at several strategic locations in Cumbria – will be progressed.

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"Creating an overarching, national body to support further development and collaboration across the nuclear industry was something we recommended in our Local Industrial Strategy, almost five years ago.

"It’s therefore good to see this now coming to fruition, with GBN set to take forward the advancement of the sector.

"We’ll be doing everything we can to make sure that Cumbria’s current activities and future nuclear potential is fully realised from the get go by the new organisation.

"The LEP therefore welcomes the firm commitment to nuclear investment and the significant budget pledge to other decarbonisation projects like Carbon Capture in the North West.

"This provides a strong platform to make real progress in further enhancing Cumbria’s already exceptional clean energy generation contribution and in creating ‘green’ employment opportunities, now and in the future.”