Nuclear South West vice-chair Stefan Ceccini has turned the spotlight on our role in making sure the region plays a key role in invigorating the UK economy as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
Stefan, who also works for tier one Hinkley Point C contractor Framatome UK, provided an insight into NSW’s support for companies operating in the region’s nuclear sector when he delivered a keynote speech in the World Nuclear Exhibition UK Virtual Networking Event
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Stefan Ceccini – Keynote speaker at WNE2020
For the record, here is a transcription of Stefan’s speech which begins with a very special view of some of the South West’s best-known locations from a Somerset beauty spot:
Back on track
Welcome and thank you to the organisers.
To all those tuned in, hoping you and your families are safe and well.
My intention is to give you a perspective to the readiness and capability in the South West. So, Dancing Hill, which is across the fields at the back of my house and has been the dread in my new lockdown running habit, offers views from the top, North – I can see the cathedral of Hinkley Point tower cranes, and West, I can see Glastonbury Tor – no golden anniversary Festival this year (see you in ‘21) but both examples of the unique energy in the South West where a significant contribution to the relaunch of the post pandemic UK economy will begin.
As we emerge from this period, the nuclear industry will be instrumental to the economic recovery of the South West and the UK as a whole.
And as we look to get back on track with our ambitious aims to be a net zero carbon economy by 2050, the nuclear industry in the South West will play a pivotal role in achieving that goal.
In what is a uniquely challenging time for the country, the nuclear industry has again proven its ability to mobilise itself and adapt quickly to the rapidly changing situation we find ourselves in.
No more so than at the Hinkley Point C site, with the recent completion of the 49,000-tonne base for the second reactor – delivered within schedule and with a reduced workforce.
New Build, New Opportunities
Hinkley Point C is still the biggest construction site in Europe and continues to provide a huge number of opportunities for companies throughout the nuclear supply chain.
Increasingly we will also see new supply chain contracts and job opportunities for those in adjacent sectors such as aerospace and digital that have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
Right now, the Hinkley Supply Chain Team, led by Nick Golding, is fully mobilised to support the project as it enters the MEH phase and is working hard to maximise the opportunities from HPC, from account managing the soft landing of overseas investors, to ensuring UK companies are plugging into the HPC Supply Chain eco-system
Adding Value by Innovating
Nuclear South West engages three regional LEPs and the Welsh government with the membership of SMEs, large businesses, universities and educational establishments as well as supply chain organisations who are all keen to collaborate and optimise the opportunity with HPC, establish a robust nuclear economy and support further nuclear business across the UK and internationally.
As the oil in the gearbox, the Nuclear South West effect is to create smooth transmission and transformation amongst its members; the agile forum in which the members participate rapidly assimilates perspectives revealing the unseen – business innovation – shared vision resulting in a change or something new, and not necessarily a ground shaking revelation – so the MEH innovation factory is a developing intervention that can offer shared space, quality, know what and how, for SMEs to deliver tier 2,3 contracts.
Driven by the HSC Team, NSW are working very closely with the key suppliers to HPC, to develop innovative and flexible delivery models that will ensure work packages are supported and delivered right first time. Framatome is right now, actively engaging with the Hinkley supply chain team to source sub-contract capabilities for its multiple work packages – as a progressive tier 1 provider. The value of integrating and working collaboratively with local engineering businesses is essential – it begins to establish EPR technology knowledge close to the site, and for the future fleet in the UK.
Framatome is committed to supporting HPC and all contractors, using its proven nuclear project experience and expertise wherever possible, and it begins with actions such as this.
NSW are good at driving cost out of new nuclear with their small/agile/diverse industrial ecosystem.
Adding research and development into innovation for all, irrespective of where they are on the TRL spectrum via the Nuclear Technologies Pipeline project developed by SW Nuclear Hub and SW Manufacturing Advisory Service.
It’s all about skills and your future workforce
This “right the first time” know-how is merging with the work the National College for Nuclear South is doing in developing skills and preparing for the next generation of nuclear electrical and mechanical engineers. This effort evolves from the good practices established at the Construction Skills and Innovation Centre – all of which have been firmly backed and reinforced by the EDF HPC workforce team.
Again, we see innovation in place and functioning to positive advantage. The NCfN thermal hydraulic flow rig interfaces the virtual and actual reality, in a safe environment whilst reducing cost, accelerating learning and proving new approaches to skills that are effective and ultimately, driving down costs. Most recently, the launch of Framatome’s Welding Centre of Excellence is just the latest example of how the South West is responding to the needs of the New Build industry.
Focus on the future
Now, with the completion of HPC only about 5 years away, Nuclear South West and its stakeholders are very much focused on the future and how we can secure a nuclear legacy in the South West (and the UK) for the long term:
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Supporting getting SZC built
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Building on the rich diversity of assets and expertise in New Build such as:
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The licensed sites at Berkeley, Oldbury, the decommissioning cluster at Winfrith, and MOD decommissioning cluster at Devonport
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Excellence in engineering capability at Barnwood
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World Class research excellence cluster around Bristol and Bath (South West Nuclear Hub)
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Lithium mines in Cornwall
I can confidently say the South West is a vibrant nuclear ecosystem and open to collaboration in the global nuclear energy supply chain.
Finally, I’d like to thank the organising team, Nuclear South West team and recognise the hard work they’ve put in to make this event possible, at very short notice. In many ways it epitomises the spirit of what we are trying to achieve as the UK Nuclear Industry.