National Nuclear User Facility

In its March 2013 Nuclear Industrial Strategy, Government announced the National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF) initiative A multi-site facility to give academia and industry access to experimental equipment for nuclear research on materials with greater radioactivity than can be handled in universities £15M over three years from 2012/13, from DECC and BIS via EPSRC. For facilities at the Central Laboratory of NNL, CCFE and the University of Manchester’s Dalton Cumbrian Facility In late 2013 the ADRIANA nuclear instrumentation project was funded (DECC via EPSRC) - £1M at Lancaster, Liverpool and CCFE NNUF Management Committee: members presently from Imperial (R Grimes, chair), CCFE, Lancaster, Leeds, Manchester & DCF, NNL, Oxford. Plus EPSRC (observer)

ToR of NNUF Steering Committee Support Government in discharging the Nuclear Industrial Strategy, by ensuring the R&D community have access to world-leading equipment for conducting research on radioactive or activated materials. R&D equipment across the full lifecycle for legacy, current, future reactors; identify gaps in infrastructure, with reference to Nuclear Energy R&D Roadmap and priorities agreed by the Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board (NIRAB). Establish portfolio of evaluated and prioritised proposals. Consult NIRAB on larger proposals Identify funding for NNUF, including training, access, operations and maintenance Maintain awareness of international opportunities (e.g. Jules Horowitz Reactor) Promote NNUF. Workshops to inform / consult researchers. Information on NNUF and facilities via website, etc. Representation from national labs, research councils, academia. Non-executive members and/or observers where necessary

General Issues 1.Costing - “not for profit” for universities –General facility running costs –Job specific costs - will be very dependent on what you want done, so in general can’t give a day rate for a piece of equipment –ADRIANA usage may be free depending on requirements 2.Website – just launched 3.Today – we’re listening as well as telling! We’d like your views on: support from the host sites, future NNUF spend and procedure to assess proposals, etc.

Batting Order 1.Current NNUF status - equipment and access –Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (CCFE) – Martin O’Brien –Dalton Cumbrian Facility – Kevin Warren –National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) – Dominic Rhodes –ADRIANA instrumentation – Malcolm Joyce (Lancaster) 2.Developing a national archive of irradiated and activated materials - Steve Roberts (Oxford)/Peter Flewitt (Bristol) 3.Transporting irradiated/activated materials – Mike Angus (NNL) 4.New NNUF Proposals – Kevin Warren and Martin O’Brien Lots of time for discussion

New NNUF Proposals Martin O’Brien and Kevin Warren

New NNUF proposals Expansion of nuclear R&D is planned. We need more facilities! Anything for > 1 university should be under NNUF umbrella. But for small facilities “light touch” and autonomy Not just for materials science (cf. ADRIANA) and not just at current NNUF sites We need “oven ready” proposals - funding often available at short notice and only if spend is rapid. We know of some already. Adaptable process for proposals ranging from > ~£100k to >£10M. Different application routes – standard EPSRC, capital funding from EPSRC/DECC/BIS, etc. NIRAB/NIRO involved in - and may initiate - the biggest

Various categories – all require 2 page outlines 1a)EPSRC application for equipment to be sited at a university Light touch, NNUF’s comments to help proposal – then leave to proponents 1b)EPSRC application for equipment to be sited at CCFE, DCF or NNL As 1a), host has to be a proponent! 2) Projects of varying sizes for NNUF list of “oven ready” proposals in case funding becomes available at short notice NNUF committee will create ranked list of varying size proposals. When a funding opportunity  proponents rapidly write fuller case (format depends on funding source) 3) Big facilities, e.g. for BIS Large Scale Infrastructure Fund. Will require a detailed business case. May be top-down request, e.g. from NIRAB Discuss with NNUF first, who will usually seek NIRAB’s steer/blessing Discussion with EPSRC may also be appropriate

NNUF Evaluation Criteria

Criteria & Key Points (first 4 mandatory) aligns with Nuclear Industry Strategy creates a true user facility (access arrangements available) for use with irradiated or activated materials predominantly for R&D new capability (if duplication, need a justification) capability likely to enhance UK's international engagement multiple proponents? anticipated level of usage of new facility? (state by whom) infrastructure changes required? (if so what and how to be funded) how will operating and maintenance costs be met? how will the decommissioning costs be met? previous/relevant experience of undertaking projects of this type duration before operational ( 1yr?)