Nuclear industry innovators and regulators came together last week to reflect on a year-long drive to make it easier to safely adopt new technology in the sector, as the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Environment Agency held their second Heads of Innovation forum.
More than 35 stakeholders from 20 organisations across the civil and defence nuclear sector attended the event which focused on how regulatory tools, including innovation cafes, expert panels and regulatory sandboxing, have supported innovators during the past 12 months.The forum was co-chaired by ONR's Innovation Lead, Dr Paolo Picca, and Dr Jake Surman of the Environment Agency, underlining the collaborative, cross-regulator approach driving the initiative.
ONR said the event reflected its commitment to remaining a modern, agile and productive regulator, capable of enabling innovation across the nuclear sector while maintaining rigorous safety and security standards.
Here’s what some of the innovators who attended said:
Paul Fyfe, Futures Director at ONR
"Innovation in the nuclear sector moves quickly, and it's vital that regulation keeps pace without compromising on safety or environmental protection. The Heads of Innovation Forum has shown us the value of hearing directly from industry about what's working well and how this work can continue to evolve.
Dr Paolo Picca, ONR’s Innovation Lead
“Our discussions in Manchester highlighted that innovation is about simplifying processes and ways of working as well as new technologies. By creating a trusted environment for open dialogue, the forum is helping to shape a more agile regulatory ecosystem that supports innovation without compromising safety or security. We look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead.
Dr Jake Surman, Nuclear Innovation Lead at the Environment Agency
“The Heads of Innovation Forum is about turning ambition into practical action. By bringing industry and regulators together early, we can better understand what the real, rather than perceived, regulatory challenges are and shape a programme that helps new ideas move forward both safely and effectively.”
Rav Chunilal, Head of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence at Sellafield
“The Heads of Innovation forum was an engaging day filled with realism and pragmatism showing how to securely and safely move the nuclear industry forward at pace, providing tangible outputs to act upon.”
Junxin Xiang, Head of Programme Excellence & Innovation at Sizewell C
“My experience over the past 12 months has reinforced that innovation is a team effort, bringing together delivery organisations, regulators, supply chains and the wider industry. It requires leadership at every level to create the confidence, discipline and momentum needed to turn good ideas into measurable improvements in project performance. The discussions convened by ONR and the EA are helping to build this shared approach, and I would encourage more organisations to contribute their experience, ideas and constructive challenges.”
Matthew Bamber, Head of Regulatory Affairs at Great British Energy – Nuclear
“The ONR EA Heads of Innovation initiative is building real momentum. It has created a space to develop innovative approaches to current challenges and provides a pathway for new technologies to enter the nuclear industry. I encourage other organisations to get involved, share their perspectives and help shape the future direction of nuclear.”
MJ Needham, Safety Case Manager at Holtec Britain
“Reflecting on Holtec Britain’s significant engagement with the innovation programme over the past year, we have valued the regulators’ openness and willingness to adapt. Building on this collaborative approach and increasing the pace of delivery will help accelerate innovation across the nuclear sector.”