The annual jobs map from the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) shows that the sector employs 77,413 people across the UK, a 20 per cent year-on-year increase. However, the NIA warns that the UK must train tens of thousands of additional workers to deliver the government’s 24GW nuclear target by 2050.
The first project on course to be completed is the oft-delayed and over-budget Hinkley Point C. The Somerset power station is expected to start generating in 2028 after more than a decade of construction.
It should provide enough electricity to power around six million UK homes as part of plans to decarbonise the grid.
According to the NIA, Hinkley Point C is one of the biggest employers in the sector, with 9,500 people working at the largest construction site in Europe, up from 8,000 in 2022. Over 1,000 apprentices have also been trained on the project to date.
Sizewell C nuclear power plant is expected to begin construction later this year, with the government...