South West Nuclear Hub welcomes EDF Energy as a member

After its opening in September 2016, the Bristol-based South West Nuclear Hub has started welcoming its members. Late last month, EDF Energy joined the Hub.

This is a significant step in the implementation of the Hub’s delivery model, and a reflection of the fact that EDF Energy, the EDF Group and the University of Bristol have long been strategic partners.

Twenty years ago, EDF Energy became one of the main industrial stakeholders heavily involved in the Faculty of Engineering’s seismic qualification facilities. Subsequently the Interface Analysis Centre, under Professor Tom Scott’s leadership, started attracting a good deal of interest in the University’s material science capabilities.

Bristol also has a concentration of expertise in Safety Systems, Control and Instrumentation at the Safety Systems Research Centre, which operates in the fields of structural integrity, non-destructive testing and graphite. Thanks to all these specialisms, Bristol became one of five strategic university partners of EDF Energy and EDF Group in the UK.

The Hub brings together academia, industry and the whole of the nuclear supply chain to act as the focal point for the regional nuclear community. Thanks to its geographical location (60 miles from Hinkley Point C) and a long track record of working collaboratively with EDF, the Hub is ideally placed to address technical challenges faced by the industry. Its ultimate aims are to deliver:

  • more resilient and cost-effective nuclear power;
  • societal benefits such as ‘keeping the lights on’ for all and ensuring that electricity generation remains sustainable, affordable and safe;
  • environmental benefits, anticipating better ways of dealing with nuclear waste.

Professor Scott and Professor David Knowles, co-directors of the South West Nuclear Hub, said: ‘Having EDF Energy coming on board with the Hub will be a great boost to the delivery of our operational model. By working together in a co-located way, we will be able to address technical challenges faced by EDF Energy and other industrial friends more rapidly and easily, ultimately leading to cheaper and safer electricity generation’.

Erwan Galenne, Head of Nuclear R&D for EDF Energy, said: ‘The University of Bristol is a longstanding partner of EDF Energy. To take only one example, the scale model of a whole graphite core mounted on the shaking table is directly used as part of the safety cases supporting the extension of the life of our Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor fleet. It has recently been recognised by the Institute of Civil Engineers for its innovative character.

Based on these solid foundations, the South-West Nuclear Hub will provide a platform to develop new collaborative projects with the University of Bristol, other academic partners in the area and other industrial partners. The ambition is to deliver value and impact throughout the nuclear lifecycle for secure, affordable low-carbon energy.’