Unlocking the Future: Reflections on the Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025

On 24 November 2025, the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce (the Taskforce) published its ‘Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025’. The publication of this report marks a pivotal moment for the UK in terms of its approach to nuclear regulation. 

The report details how the UK’s nuclear sector is at a crossroads. Despite being critical for energy security, achieving Net Zero, national defence, and economic growth, the nuclear sector is hampered by a regulatory system that is fragmented, risk-averse, and process-heavy. Once a global leader, the UK is now the most expensive place in the world to build nuclear projects.

Change in key areas such as international harmonisation, regulatory reform, and improving capacity and capability are essential to enable the UK to take advantage of the global resurgence of nuclear technology. Reducing the burden caused by a frequently duplicative and complex regulatory landscape will have a positive impact on the cost overruns and time delays which are so often associated with large nuclear infrastructure projects in the UK.

The Taskforce’s recommendations aim to provide a clear blueprint for reforming the UK’s nuclear regulatory system which, coupled with a strategic steer from government, will promote change and drive growth within the UK’s nuclear sector.

Core Proposals

The recommendations put forward by the Taskforce are based on the following core proposals, which cover planning, environmental and nuclear regulation:

1. Clear leadership and direction for the nuclear sector is required from government. 

2. The government and regulators must work together to simplify the regulatory process. 

3. Focus must be placed on reducing risk aversion and ensuring proportionality when making regulatory and sector decisions. 

4. Cultural, capability and financial incentives must be addressed to improve delivery. 

5. The nuclear sector and government must work to enable the acceleration of delivery and innovation. 

Recommendations

The full list of recommendations can be found within the report. We have summarised these below:

1. Simplification: The report promotes unified oversight. The proposal to establish a Commission for Nuclear Regulation and to merge the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) with the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) promises to reduce duplication, improve accountability, and accelerate decision-making.

2. Risk Management and Proportionality: By urging the government to define what constitutes a tolerable level of risk and to shift the focus from process to outcomes, the report promotes a more balanced, evidence-based approach to safety and environmental protection. 

3. Environmental Assessments and Permitting: Legislative and policy bottlenecks must be removed to accelerate nuclear project delivery. Streamlining NSIP planning, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, and environmental permitting regimes will unlock investment and enable the UK to deliver new nuclear capacity at pace. Recommendations include modifying the Habitats Regulations, permitting the development of Modular Low-Carbon Acceleration Zones, implementing statutory timelines for environmental permitting, and creating more proportionality in the EIA regime.

4. The Planning System: The report claims that the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime is “inefficient” and prolonged pre-application and decision phases result in prolonged approval timelines. Recommendations include improving the application of the Critical National Priority, updating guidance to streamline the DCO regime, amending the Planning Act 2005 to require “minded to” letters, and establishing a unit to discharge DCO requirements. It also recommends streamlining the regulatory justification process by proposing legislation that would deem the grant of a planning permission, the completion of Stage 2 of the GDA, or the grant of a nuclear site licence for a nuclear installation to be a justified practice.

5. Culture, Capacity, Capability and Innovation: Embedding cultural change as the sector expands is critical. The Nuclear Skills Delivery Board must accelerate efforts to develop both technical and non-technical capabilities, ensuring a workforce ready for the future. Achieving a true reset demands bold adoption of digital technologies to modernise safety and regulatory practices, reflecting the realities of delivering complex infrastructure in an evolving landscape. 

6. International Harmonisation: Greater harmonisation with international standards and best practice will help the UK reclaim its position as a global leader in advanced nuclear technologies, ensuring a secure and prosperous future for the sector. Recommendations include developing and funding a joint Government and Regulator International Strategy and Action Plan.

Other recommendations include enabling public and private sector efforts to reduce gold-plating and risk aversion and reducing government uncertainty on the release of sites for future nuclear projects.

Government Response

Yesterday, the Prime Minister published a strategic steer to the nuclear sector following publication of the Nuclear Regulatory Review in which he accepted the principle of all the recommendations set out in the report and committed to full implementation within 2 years. In her budget earlier this week, the Chancellor committed to report to Parliament on how the recommendations would be implemented within 3 months. Alongside this strategic steer the government also published specific guidance on the application of ‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) and Best Available Techniques (BAT) setting out 9 principles to be considered by dutyholders and regulators when applying ALARP and BAT at nuclear sites, including:

1. Principle 1: Open-minded and flexible approach to how ALARP and BAT is demonstrated.

2. Principle 2: Mutual understanding between stakeholders of the approach to making judgments on regulatory compliance and overall decision-making.

3. Principle 3: Understanding of regulatory guidance by dutyholders, and clarity from regulators about its use.

4. Principle 4: Early and regular engagement between stakeholders.

5. Principle 5: Involvement of the right stakeholders with clear roles and responsibilities and lines of communication.

6. Principle 6: Clear communication between stakeholders.

7. Principle 7: Appropriate consideration of previous decisions where relevant.

8. Principle 8: Oversight of people and processes by all stakeholders.

9. Principle 9: Provide appropriate routes to seek clarification, second opinion or raise concerns.

Looking Ahead

If implemented, the Taskforce’s recommendations have the potential to transform the UK’s nuclear sector, delivering lower energy prices, supporting Net Zero, and strengthening national security, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and environmental stewardship.

The Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025 is a call to action for government, regulators, and industry. It recognises that the status quo is unsustainable and that only determined, top-level leadership can deliver the radical reset required. 

We look forward to supporting clients as they navigate the outcome of these recommendations and seize the opportunities that a reformed regulatory landscape will bring.

You can read the full report here: Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any aspect of this article or any other legal or commercial issues with our sector-leading team of nuclear experts. 

This article was written by Laura Tobin and Lowri Scott.