Last month, the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce published its final report.[1] Although the UK is one of 33 countries pledging to triple its nuclear capacity by 2050, the Taskforce warns that the current system risks slowing delivery at a time when global competitors are accelerating.[2] In this article, Brevia Energy explores the key takeaways from the Report.
Nuclear Energy as Necessary
The Taskforce outlines 5 strategic imperatives driving the UK’s need for new nuclear:
- Accommodating increasing energy demands
- Strengthening energy security
- Achieving Net Zero 2050
- Supporting economic growth
- Maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent capability
These priorities are converging as the Government seeks to balance energy affordability, decarbonisation and industrial strategy. Public and political scrutiny is already focused on the consumer impact of the new Nuclear Regulated Asset Base model intended to support the Sizewell C nuclear development in Suffolk.[3] The Taskforce argues that a more efficient regulatory system is central to the Government meeting its environmental and economic objectives while minimising cost exposure for consumers and taxpayers.
Finding and Fixing Issues in the UK Nuclear Regulatory Framework
The report identifies three systemic issues within the existing regulatory framework and offers specific interventions for each.
According to the report, the greatest problem in UK nuclear regulation is its growing complexity and fragmentation. The Taskforce suggests that this can result in duplication, protracted decision-making and unclear lines of accountability. To resolve this, the Taskforce recommends streamlining the system, including consolidating regulatory functions and creating a Commission for Regulation to deliver clearer governance and strategic alignment.
The report also finds that the application of the ‘as low as reasonably practicable’ principle can, in practice, default to ‘as low as possible’, driving a culture of risk aversion and over-engineering. To enable proportionate, evidence-based risk management, the Taskforce calls for Government-issued guidance to clarify what constitutes ‘reasonable practicable’ in nuclear construction and operation.
In addition, the report notes that current regulatory processes do not adequately reward time or cost-efficient project delivery, often resulting in delays. The Taskforce therefore suggests rebalancing measures so that regulatory requirements are proportionate to risk – whether safety, environmental, or security – and that they support effective programme management, rather than hinder it.
Going Forward
In its final report, the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce’s message is unequivocal: the UK needs a regulatory reset to enable the timely development of new nuclear capacity for the benefit of industry, consumers and the environment. Industry sentiment aligns with this view; a coalition of nuclear regulators and other stakeholders issued a joint letter to the Prime Minister following the publication of the Taskforce’s report, urging rapid implementation.[4]
In response, the Government has signalled early momentum, with the Prime Minister instructing Business Secretary Peter Kyle MP to implement the recommendations ‘across the entire industrial strategy’.[5] The Prime Minister has accepted the Taskforce’s first recommendation by issuing a ‘strategic steer’ to initiate a ‘system-wide reset’ – an important signal for investors seeking policy clarity and long-term confidence.[6]
Looking ahead, stakeholders can monitor Government progress against several key milestones proposed in the report – the first set of which are as early as March 2026. These include establishing a lead regulator model, simplifying the regulatory architecture, and resetting case development processes. On this same timescale, HM Treasury is expected to address cost-inflation risks and unnecessary ‘gold-plating’, while the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero will work to reduce siting uncertainty, and No.10 will set out an integrated delivery plan.
By taking these steps, the Taskforce promises that the UK will move towards a more coherent and efficiency-driven regulatory environment. Nonetheless, delivery will require sustained political attention and close industry engagement, offering a fresh opportunity for nuclear stakeholders to showcase to the UK Government how it can convert ambition into bankable projects.
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Notes
[1] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ministry of Defence, Nuclear Regulatory Review, 24 November 2025, Link.
[2] International Atomic Energy Agency, Two More Countries Join Global Pledge to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2030, 24 November 2024, Link.
[3] BBC News, Charities to bear brunt of new energy levy charges, 21 October 2025, Link.
[4] Matt Oliver, New: Nuclear regulators and other industry groups wrote to Keir Starmer, X (formerly Twitter), 2 December 2025, Link.
[5] Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP, Prime Minister’s speech on Britain built for all: 1 December 2025, 1 December 2025, Link.
[6] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP, Prime Minister’s strategic steer to the nuclear sector, 26 November 2025, Link.
