This is according to a report by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB).

The ECITB career motivations study Inspiring Directions shows the sector is struggling to appeal to the general population, and in particular women, to help plug looming workforce and skills shortages.

The report provides a snapshot of what motivates career choices and on perceptions of the engineering construction industry’s (ECI) different sectors, including nuclear.

Findings of the survey show workers and learners that are already in the ECI view the nuclear sector much more positively than the general population, making recruiting new entrants from outside industry a challenge.

MORE: POWERGEN workshop moves the needle on addressing nuclear workforce challenges

When asked whether they would consider a career in the nuclear sector, 48% of ECI workers or learners said yes, but this figure was down to 17% for the wider population, with 54% saying no – ranking it bottom of the seven ECI sectors asked about.

These figures were worse when broken down by gender, which could hinder efforts to diversify the nuclear workforce. Only 12% of women outside the ECI said they would consider a career in nuclear, with 66% saying they would not join the sector.

ECITB chief executive Andrew Hockey said: “Our Labour Forecasting Tool forecasts a 30% increase in demand for workers in the nuclear sector over the next five years.

“Given the low ratio of new entrants to retirees in engineering construction, understanding the career motivations of this group is paramount to ensuring these workforce needs are met.

“This vital study suggests the image of the nuclear sector is not attractive to new entrants, especially women, and that more needs to be done to address recruitment and retention challenges.

“Our report makes recommendations on how the sector can better represent itself to disconnected new entrants and help retain its current workforce.

“As the employer-led skills body for the industry in Great Britain, training and developing new entrants is a key priority of our Leading Industry Learning Strategy, which is why half of our training grant budget is dedicated to this area.

“But solving this problem will require a collaborative, multi-agency approach that includes employers, governments, training providers and the ECITB working together to ensure careers in the nuclear sector are more visible and more attractive.”

Tackling perception of the nuclear sector

The study concludes that while the recent classification of nuclear by the Government as a ‘green’ industry may cause some shift in perception, the current view of the sector could pose recruitment challenges amid an increase in activity.

With the decommissioning of 1970s and 1980s reactors accelerating in the coming years, Sizewell C and Hinkley Point C under construction, and development of small modular reactors in the pipeline, the report says the sector is likely to face a high and growing labor demand.

The research recommends the sector “considers its image and representation outside of the ECI” when developing recruitment strategies and the new Destination Nuclear campaign is a timely opportunity to do this.

It also suggests the sector might be more successful concentrating recruitment efforts from within the ECI community where it enjoys relative popularity, rather than attempting to win over a more skeptical wider public. 

The report’s other recommendations include better communicating the high rates of pay in nuclear and using ambassadors and alumni to raise awareness, such as at schools, colleges and job fairs, to change the perception of the sector.

ECITB research showcases career motivations

The ECITB undertook research into the career motivations of workers employed in the engineering construction industry, learners working towards qualifications relevant to the industry and the general public. 

A sample of 1,626 individuals from the wider UK population were asked for their views on the different ECI sectors, such as nuclear, to assess possible barriers each may face when developing policies to expand their talent pool.

In comparison, 154 people from within the industry – made up of 89 learners and 65 workers – were also asked for their perceptions, as well as to rank a series of factors to better understand what motivates them in their careers.

When asked to rate eight factors that motivate their career choices out of ten, respondents ranked ‘opportunities to progress’ (8.30) and ‘financial considerations’ (8.14) as the top two.

‘Opportunities to evolve in a welcoming and inclusive environment’ was third, although women place even more importance than men on this factor, scoring this 8.18 and 7.59 respectively, while ‘opportunities to work on the energy transition’ ranked bottom (6.61).

The ECI cohort was also asked for views on ‘career anchors’ that can be used by employers to reflect how their organization aligns with employee motivations, with ‘security and stability’ deemed most important, followed by ‘lifestyle’.

Originally published on Power Engineering International.

Its members also aim to contribute to shaping the future of a clean and secure energy supply in the Netherlands.

To expedite the construction of new nuclear power plants, members of The Atomic Cooperative aim to have the opportunity to acquire shares in a new nuclear power plant and to invest in it. Their primary concern is ensuring a continuous and cost-effective supply of nuclear power.

Additionally, they propose that nuclear power plants should also provide heat, for example, for horticulture. The Atomic Cooperative will collaborate with various stakeholders.

The Atomic Cooperative is already involved in a regional project in Limburg for the potential construction of a Small Modular Reactor (SMR), and, according to the group, there are plenty more opportunities.

Six provinces have expressed interest in building an SMR, and the government plans to construct two new nuclear power plants. The involvement of the Cooperative in these projects can significantly increase public support.

“There are already numerous energy cooperatives in the Netherlands where people can become co-owners of a wind farm or solar field,” says Patrick Bauduin, co-founder of The Atomic Cooperative. “We want to make this possible for nuclear power plants as well and hope to see citizens and businesses have a say and benefit when a nuclear power plant is built.”

“The broad support for nuclear energy in both politics and society is undeniable,” says co-founder Wim Fleuren. “We are currently heavily investing in solar and wind energy, but everyone knows that such power is weather-dependent. We need a stable and reliable energy supply, and nuclear energy will help us achieve that. We want to sit at the table with government officials, residents, and businesses to motivate them to invest in reliability and affordability. By working cooperatively, we can accelerate progress and bring the benefits and burdens of nuclear energy closer together.”

The initiators are volunteering their efforts for the cooperative and rely on member participation. “The Dutch are eager for reliable and clean energy facilities that can make coal and gas obsolete,” says co-initiator Olguita Oudendijk. “All too often, citizens and businesses are left in a state of limbo. We want to change that.”

The Atomic Cooperative already has 150 members. All members have been invited to a meeting on Thursday 31 October at the White House in Amsterdam. VVD Member of Parliament Silvio Erkens and CDA Member of Parliament Derk Boswijk, both spokespersons for climate and energy, are among the speakers. CDA faction leader Henri Bontenbal has also confirmed his attendance.

Originally published in Power Engineering International.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — As climate change pushes states in the U.S. to dramatically cut their use of fossil fuels, many are coming to the conclusion that solar, wind and other renewable power sources might not be enough to keep the lights on.

Nuclear power is emerging as an answer to fill the gap as states transition away from coal, oil and natural gas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stave off the worst effects of a warming planet. The renewed interest in nuclear comes as companies, including one started by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, are developing smaller, cheaper reactors that could supplement the power grid in communities across the U.S.

Nuclear power comes with its own set of potential problems, especially radioactive waste that can remain dangerous for thousands of years. But supporters say the risks can be minimized and that the energy source will be essential to stabilize power supplies as the world tries to move away from carbon dioxide-emitting fossil fuels.

(Read “Ontario Power Generation to deploy GE Hitachi small modular reactor tech.”

Tennessee Valley Authority President and CEO Jeff Lyash puts it simply: You can’t significantly reduce carbon emissions without nuclear power.

“At this point in time, I don’t see a path that gets us there without preserving the existing fleet and building new nuclear,” Lyash said.

The federally owned utility is adding solar capacity, but also operates three nuclear plants and plans to test a small reactor. By 2050, it hopes to become net zero, which means the amount of greenhouse gases produced is no more than the amount removed from the atmosphere.

Power Engineering reported in May that TVA and Kairos Power planned to team up to deploy a low-power, salt-cooled reactor at the East Tennessee Park in Oak Ridge. Kairos Power, which grew out of multi-partner research efforts earlier this century, will use its Hermes reactor for the demonstration. Hermes is a fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor. 

Renewed growth?

An Associated Press survey of the energy policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia found that a strong majority—about two-thirds—say nuclear, in one fashion or another, will help take the place of fossil fuels. That momentum could lead to the first expansion of nuclear reactor construction in the U.S. in more than three decades.

Roughly one-third of the states and the District of Columbia say they have no plans to incorporate nuclear power in their green energy goals, instead leaning heavily on renewables. They pointed to advances in energy storage using batteries, investments in the grid for high-voltage interstate transmission, energy efficiency efforts to reduce demand and power provided by hydroelectric dams.

The split over nuclear power mirrors a similar debate unfolding in Europe. (Read “France to build new nuclear reactors to meet climate goals.”)

The Biden administration has tried to take aggressive steps to reduce greenhouse gases in the U.S. The $1 trillion infrastructure package passed last year will allocate about $2.5 billion for advanced reactor demonstration projects.
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told the AP the administration wants to get to zero-carbon electricity, and that means nuclear, hydropower, geothermal, wind and solar.

“We want it all,” she said.

Nuclear technology still comes with significant risks that other low-carbon energy sources don’t, said Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He’s concerned the industry might cut corners on safety and security to save money and compete. The group does not oppose using nuclear power, but wants to make sure it’s safe.

The U.S. also has no long-term plan for managing or disposing the hazardous waste, and there remains the danger of accidents or targeted attacks, Lyman said. Nuclear disasters at Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and more recently, Fukushima, Japan, in 2011 provide an enduring warning.

(Read “Ansaldo Nuclear develops robot for complex nuclear waste removal.”

Nuclear power already provides about 20% of electricity in the U.S., or about half the nation’s carbon-free energy.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved just one of the new, small modular reactor designs — from NuScale Power in 2020. Gates’ company, TerraPower, wants to build an advanced reactor in Wyoming, which has long depended on coal for power and jobs.

Power Engineering reported earlier in January that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rejected Oklo Power, LLC’s application to build and operate the company’s Aurora compact fast reactor in Idaho. Silicon Valley-based Oklo Power submitted the application in March 2020 and sought an NRC license for the 1.5 MW reactor to be built at the Idaho National Laboratory. The license application was accepted in June of that year.

Aurora would transport heat from the reactor core to a power conversion system and is designed to run on material from used nuclear fuel known as HALEU, or “high assay, low-enriched uranium.” Oklo’s was the first combined construction and operation license for an advanced fission technology to be accepted for review by federal regulators.

Although NRC said that Oklo submitted supplementary information on several topics in both July and October, it found the information remained insufficient.

As utilities quit coal, Wyoming is tapping into wind. But Glen Murrell, executive director of the Wyoming Energy Authority, said it’s unrealistic to expect all the nation’s energy to be provided exclusively through wind and solar.

Georgia maintains that its nuclear reactor expansion will provide “ample clean energy” for 60 to 80 years. New Hampshire said the region’s environmental goals would be impossible to meet as affordably without nuclear. Energy agencies in Alaska and Maryland are planning for small modular nuclear reactors.

Beyond nuclear?

Other officials, mostly in Democratic-led states, said they’re moving beyond nuclear power. Some said they never relied heavily on it to begin with and don’t see a need for it.

They said the cost of new reactors compared to installing wind turbines or solar panels, the safety concerns and the unresolved question of how to store hazardous nuclear waste are deal-breakers. Some environmentalists oppose small modular reactors for similar reasons

New York’s future energy grid will be dominated by wind, solar and hydropower, said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen Harris.

Nevada officials don’t consider nuclear power a viable option because of the failed plan to store the nation’s commercial spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain. Instead, they see potential for energy storage and geothermal energy.

“A focus on short-term gains can’t alleviate the long-term issues with nuclear energy,” David Bobzien, director of Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy, said in a statement.

California is slated to close its last remaining nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, in 2025, as it turns to cheaper renewables to power its grid by 2045. Officials plan to sustain the expansion of clean electricity generation at a record-breaking rate. California also imports power from other states.

Skeptics have questioned whether the plan can work in a state of nearly 40 million people. Jason Bordoff, co-founding dean of the Columbia Climate School, said there is “good reason” to think about extending the life of Diablo Canyon to keep energy costs down and reduce emissions quickly.

Nuclear energy isn’t risk free, he said, “but the risks of falling short of our climate goals exceed the risks of including nuclear energy as part of the zero carbon energy mix.”

Associated Press writer Matthew Daly in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. Additional reporting by Power Engineering editors.