How do operational fusion power plants compare in risk profile to industrial
installations HSE are familiar with regulating?

Background

To apply our expert knowledge and capability to enable businesses to understand both known and unknown risk and to innovate safely as we transition to net zero.
To develop our understanding of the future asset base and the role key stakeholders (e.g. designers, manufacturers, operators, etc.) play in managing risk and maintaining safe operations. To work with industry to prevent major incidents around new technologies and applications that come with the government’s commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through working with others to understand changing risks and challenges to ensure regulatory framework remains fit for purpose. We recognise that development of net zero technologies will present challenges that businesses and society are less familiar with. We will work to make sure that health and safety legislation does not prevent safe innovation and progress. To help manage risk, we will focus our attention on the breadth of activities that net zero encompasses. This will provide evidence to inform any policy, regulatory and operational changes needed to support business. We will achieve this by working partnerships with stakeholders, communication activities, regulatory interventions and enforcement. To bring together science, policy, and regulation, we will help businesses in Great Britain establish themselves as world leaders in net zero.

Next steps

Get in touch with hsecsa@hse.gov.uk

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

HS Es Areas of Research Interest ARI 2023

Related UKRI funded projects


  • Bay Fusion - Creation of a commercial fusion industry cluster

    [Bay Fusion][0] was created to promote the development and operation of fusion energy technology in the north west of England, focussed around Morecambe Bay which is central to the North West Energy Coast and the North W...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: BAY FUSION LIMITED

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project is focused on the development and operation of fusion energy technology, which is relevant to the question. However, it does not specifically address the risk profile of operational fusion power plants compared to industrial installations.

  • UKAEA / EPSRC Fusion Grant 2022/27

    As energy demand increases and the impacts of climate change worsen, fusion offers the prospect of abundant, agile, low-carbon, baseload supply. During the next five years, fusion reaches a defining period. ITER - a ~20B...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: CCFE/UKAEA

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project addresses the challenges and uncertainties in fusion powerplant design, which is relevant to the question. However, it does not directly compare the risk profile of operational fusion power plants to industrial installations.

  • GEMINI 4.0

    In Europe, electricity represents only ¼ of CO2 emissions. Therefore, the European decarbonisation objectives cannot be met without addressing the othersources of emissions as well, mainly industry and transport. ...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project discusses the safety and decarbonisation aspects of High Temperature Reactor systems, which is relevant to the question about risk profiles of operational fusion power plants.

  • Compact fusion reactors for carbon free combined heat and power generation

    Crossfield Fusion Ltd is developing a novel compact fusion reactor targeting carbon free heat and power generation. Our vision is to manufacture compact fusion reactors the size of a small shipping containers that can b...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: CROSSFIELD FUSION LTD

  • A Resilience Modelling Framework for Improved Nuclear Safety (NuRes)

    Accidents at nuclear plants, such as those at Fukushima and Chernobyl, have increased the public awareness of the severe consequences that can result when system failures occur. However, as the demand for energy increase...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Nottingham

  • COMPUTATIONAL MODELLING FOR ADVANCED NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

    Modern computational methods can be a very valuable tool in assessing the behaviour of nuclear power stations, and ensuring that they present minimal hazard to either the public or the environment. This proposal is to fu...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: Imperial College London

  • Low Cost Nuclear Phase 1

    The project’s goal is to investigate and develop innovative approaches to nuclear power station design that will enable the development of a new type of nuclear power station that can provide electricity at rates competi...

    Funded by: ISCF

    Lead research organisation: ROLLS-ROYCE POWER ENGINEERING PLC

  • Design and Maintenance of Nuclear Safety Systems for Life Extension (DaMSSLE)

    For infrastructure intensive industries such as nuclear power generation it is frequently more cost effective to extend the operational life of aging assets rather than enter a new build programme. For new build, new des...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Nottingham

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on the design and maintenance of nuclear safety systems for life extension, which is relevant to understanding risk management in operational fusion power plants.

  • European Sodium Fast Reactor - Safety by Innovative Monitoring, Power Level flexibility and Experimental research

    To facilitate the integration of the future nuclear reactors into the European energy system, it is necessary to demonstrate that the reactors have uncompromised safety and meet the future societal needs. The ESFR-SIMPLE...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

  • Innovative LWR Simulation Tool for the Nuclear Renaissance in the UK

    The government of the United Kingdom has signed the contracts for the construction of Hinkley Point C, the first nuclear power plant since 20 years as a first step for the Nuclear Renaissance in the UK. In a BBC article,...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Liverpool