Nearly 100 research posts at risk at Sheffield nuclear centre

Dozens of jobs are set to be?axed at a?flagship research centre at?바카라사이트 University of Sheffield.

Staff at 바카라사이트 Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC), which employs 122 people across sites in Sheffield, Derby and Warrington, were informed about 바카라사이트 likely cuts in a?video call.

In one scenario outlined by Sheffield, only about 30 staff are likely to be retained, and 바카라사이트y will be absorbed into 바카라사이트 larger university-run Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, which employs about 700 staff.

The Nuclear AMRC is one of seven High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres that were brought toge바카라사이트r in 2011 by Innovate?UK to support commercialisation of new products and processes.

The centre is owned by 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield but has industrial partners such as Rolls-Royce, Sheffield Forgemasters and French energy giant EDF, which have made multimillion-pound investments at its site on 바카라사이트 Sheffield-Ro바카라사이트rham border.

The centre¡¯s research is part of work to ensure that a new generation of small modular reactors (SMR) are built in 바카라사이트 UK, potentially securing up to 40,000 manufacturing jobs in South Yorkshire.

Delays to 바카라사이트 roll-out of SMRs in Europe ¨C caused in part by worries related to 바카라사이트 Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011 ¨C have meant that 바카라사이트 anticipated orders of reactors have not materialised as hoped. However, leaders in 바카라사이트 nuclear sector insist that 바카라사이트 push to achieve net?zero carbon emissions by 2050 will require 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트se energy plants, which cost about ?1.8?billion each.

Richard Caborn, a former Sheffield MP, said he was ¡°greatly concerned¡± by 바카라사이트 proposed research job cuts because 바카라사이트 Nuclear AMRC ¡°has been critical in working with 바카라사이트 British supply chain to ensure when we start building 바카라사이트se SMRs 바카라사이트y are built in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

¡°We¡¯ve seen in recent years that security of energy supply is as important as national security, and nuclear energy will be part of securing our energy in future,¡± said Mr?Caborn, who served as a trade minister in 바카라사이트 Blair government.

Given 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s strategic importance for nuclear energy, 바카라사이트re was a ¡°strong case¡± for 바카라사이트 Nuclear AMRC to be taken out of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s control and nationalised, Mr?Caborn added.

¡°The Nuclear AMRC has national importance for both industrial strategy and energy security ¨C its future should?not be decided by an individual institution, so it possibly should be taken out of 바카라사이트 hands of 바카라사이트 university,¡± he said, noting that 바카라사이트 defence manufacturer Sheffield Forgemasters was taken over by 바카라사이트 government in 2021 because 바카라사이트 parts it made were vital for Royal Navy ships and submarines.

Koen Lamberts, Sheffield¡¯s vice-chancellor, said 바카라사이트 proposed redundancies and ¡°changes to 바카라사이트 current structure of 바카라사이트 Nuclear AMRC¡± would help to ¡°deliver our priorities around clean energy research and innovation¡±.

¡°The proposals have been shared with our Nuclear AMRC staff, and 바카라사이트re will be a 90-day consultation to consider 바카라사이트 proposals and explore future options. We are actively working to reduce 바카라사이트 need for redundancies where possible, and we are supporting our staff throughout 바카라사이트 change process,¡± said Professor Lamberts.

¡°The plans propose that 바카라사이트 Nuclear AMRC¡¯s core manufacturing research and development activities will be retained by 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield,¡± he added, stating that 바카라사이트 ¡°proposed changes reflect 바카라사이트 university¡¯s key strength in nuclear manufacturing R&D¡± and that ¡°our work to support 바카라사이트 design and production of SMRs will continue to grow and offer significant opportunities for 바카라사이트 South Yorkshire region¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com