Government plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations risk delays after warnings by its own inspectors that no decision can be made on reactor designs because of a shortage of skilled engineers.
Delays in receiving documentation from various parties and the difficulties of talking to overseas regulators and receiving final reactor designs are referred to in a letter from Mike Weightman, chief inspector at the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), to the Department for Business Enterpriseand Regulatory Reform.
The note follows a demand from the department's nuclear unit that the inspectorate begin the third stage of the generic design assessment (GDA) of various reactors put forward by companies such as Areva of France, needed to kick-start plans for a new generation of atomic power.
"There have been difficulties in all these areas, less so on enhancing our relationships with overseas nuclear regulators, but the main concern we have is the continuing lack of an adequate build-up of resources," writesWeightman, who also cites the risk of rising costs.
"This is working against timely completion of GDA and, while we remain determined to complete GDA process as close to the original programme as possible, there is a risk of this not being achieved. Therefore we cannot commit to a firm completion date."
A similar letter to the department from Joe McHugh, head of radioactive substances regulation at the Environment Agency, refers to other potential delays caused by the Health and Safety Executive. "We note that HSE hasstated there is a risk that it may not complete the GDA process to its original programme." He adds: "We will need to review our programme should HSE's programme be extended."
The skills shortage threatens not just Britain's planned nuclear renaissance but also other projects such as Crossrail and the building of a new generation of green power generators. John Denham, secretary for innovation, universities and skills, said last month that the government would provide funding for industry to train up to 2 million more workers infinance, construction, science, engineering and IT by 2014.
Critics have repeatedly voiced concerns that costs can rise rapidly if skill shortages arise. An Areva project to construct the first new European reactor for 30 years, in Finland, has already seen major time and cost overruns.
Last week two peers, Lady Wilcox and Lord de Mauley, called for a new clause to be inserted into the energy bill calling on the secretary of state to report annually "his assessment of the appropriate levels of staff and resources in the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, the progress thathas been made towards reaching that target, and the effect on progress towards approval of new nuclear reactors".
The business and enterprise secretary, John Huttton, recently told a conference that Britain aims to become the number one location for nuclear investment, and outlined plans for an Office of Nuclear Development and a Nuclear Development Forum.
But questions have been raised about the appetite of private-sector investors because of dwindling interest in buying up the UK's premier nuclear power generator, British Energy, whose ownership would give purchasers access to the best sites for building new plants.
EDF of France put in a bid that was rejected and Iberdrola of Spain, the owner of Scottish Power, said it was pulling out because the £10bn pricetag was too high. RWE of Germany was expected to put in a bid but has sofar failed to do so.