Corporate Plan published for 2026/27

The UK's nuclear sector is changing at pace. Nuclear is playing an increasingly central role in delivering economic growth, energy security and national resilience and the demands on ONR as a regulator have never been greater.

Our Corporate Plan for 2026/27 sets out how we will meet those demands. It translates our new strategy, ONR Together, into specific, measurable commitments for the year ahead, giving a clear line of sight from our mission to delivery.

Mike Finnerty, ONR’s Chief Executive and Chief Nuclear Inspector, said: "The UK's nuclear sector is changing at pace, and ONR is changing with it. As nuclear takes on an increasingly important role in delivering economic growth, energy security and national resilience, we are evolving to ensure our regulation remains effective, efficient and fit for the future."

What we're doing and why

Our new rolling strategy, ONR Together, provides a clear direction for ONR to become a more modern, agile and productive regulator. This aligns with the Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025, which sets out a blueprint for modernising the UK's nuclear regulatory framework. We welcome the ambition in the government’s response to this review and are already taking action to support its delivery.

This Corporate Plan provides the clarity, proportionality and pace needed to support investment, innovation and delivery across the sector, while continuing to uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety, security and safeguards.

Mike Finnerty said: "It is our commitment to the nuclear industry, to government, and to the British public that we will play our part in delivering proportionate, enabling regulation that supports innovation and growth. At the same time, we will continue to hold the UK nuclear industry to account to ensure the highest standards of safety, security and safeguards are maintained."

Our purpose remains unchanged. What is changing is how we deliver it.

What we'll deliver this year

This year we will establish a new Futures Directorate to sharpen our intelligence and horizon-scanning capability, and a Transformation Directorate to manage and deliver our major change programmes effectively.

We're modernising our regulatory guidance framework to give industry greater clarity on what compliance looks like, so it has the certainty it needs to invest and deliver. We're also developing formal collaboration frameworks with international partners to cut duplication and accelerate decision-making on new technologies.

And we're expanding how we communicate and engage - reaching new audiences, addressing misconceptions about our role, and building greater public understanding of and confidence in our work.

Mike Finnerty said: "This Corporate Plan provides a clear line of sight from our strategy to what we will deliver this year. It confirms that we will stop what slows us down, work even more effectively with our stakeholders, and create the right culture for our people so we can regulate a growing and changing industry with the confidence and pace it deserves.

Our commitment remains unchanged; protecting society by securing the highest standards of safety, security and safeguards. What is changing is how we deliver that commitment as we work together to support the UK's nuclear ambitions and the benefits they bring to society."