Sector: Nuclear

24th November 2025

Knowledge Type

Report

Organisation

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Ministry of Defence
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Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025

The Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025 is an independent report commissioned by the UK Prime Minister and led by John Fingleton, with support from a taskforce of experts. It examines the regulation of civil and defence nuclear activities across the UK and sets out recommendations to improve delivery without compromising safety.

Formally launched in February 2025, the review drew on evidence from industry stakeholders, regulators, government departments, and non-governmental organisations. It included site visits, workshops, and two public calls for evidence. The final report presents a comprehensive assessment of regulatory processes, culture, legislation, and organisational structures.

The report identifies systemic issues in nuclear regulation and makes a series of recommendations to simplify the system, strengthen coordination, and improve risk management. Its findings are grounded in existing legislation, international standards, and feedback gathered throughout the consultation process.

Attachments

Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025
12th October 2025

Knowledge Type

Podcast

Organisation

Major Projects Association MIGSO-PCUBED
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From Transactional to Transformational: Building Better Relationships in Major Projects

In this episode of the Major Projects Association podcast, Executive Director Andy Murray is joined by David Whitmore, Director at MIGSO-PCUBED, to explore the critical role of business-to-business relationships in the delivery of complex major projects.

Drawing on the new research paper ‘Managing strategic relationships in inter-organisational projects’, a collaboration between MIGSO-PCUBED and University College London, Andy and David delve into what makes these relationships succeed or fail. They unpack the key distinction between transactional and strategic relationships, why neither should be viewed as inherently adversarial or collaborative, and how leaders can consciously choose and manage the right model for their context.

From insights into exemplary programmes such as East West Rail, Sellafield’s Programme and Project Partners, and the Anglian Water’s @One Alliance, to practical lessons for those implementing delivery partner models, this conversation highlights how effective relationship management can make or break project outcomes.

As David notes, successful major projects don’t just rely on sound contracts or strong governance, they depend on leaders who understand, nurture, and strategically manage the web of relationships that underpin delivery. This is a must-listen for anyone involved in shaping, leading, or partnering on major programmes.

Related links
Managing Strategic Relationships In Inter-organisational Projects

No More Heroes report

MIGSO-PCUBED’s RelationSHAPE

The rise of the delivery partner

 

David Whitmore
Director


David WhitmoreDavid is a project & programme management practitioner with a unique mix of safety critical design, procurement and safety case expertise. He has a proven track record of transforming organisations and leading teams of people engaged in delivering complex, high technology projects.

Prior to joining MIGSO-PCUBED and following 7 years in the high voltage power transmission industry, David held director level positions with Rolls-Royce, Horizon Nuclear Power and Atkins working on nuclear major projects including design, manufacture, construction and in-service support projects. He led the project and programme management function for Rolls-Royce’s Submarines business and introduced innovative collaborative working arrangements with client organisations and supply chain companies. In Atkins David led the nuclear engineering function including a secondment to Horizon Nuclear Power as Engineering Director before being appointed as the Major Projects Director for the Atkins Nuclear business.

In MIGSO-PCUBED he is a Strategic Advisor to the CEO. He is developing new thinking for the delivery of major projects in the UK context and he has published a number of academic papers on the transformation of major project delivery. In 2020 he was seconded into Veolia Nuclear Solutions to lead the recovery of the Fukushima inspection programme.

If you would like to know more about the research discussed in the podcast or would like to get involved, please email david.whitmore@migso-pcubed.com.

4th September 2025

Knowledge Type

Report

Organisation

UCL MIGSO-PCUBED
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Managing Strategic Relationships In Inter-organisational Projects

Co-authored by researchers from UCL and MIGSO-PCUBED, this paper challenges the dominance of Transaction Cost Economics in construction project relationships, arguing for a shift toward long-term, trust-based partnerships. Using a seven-dimensional framework grounded in Relational Exchange Theory, the authors analyse four exemplar UK projects to propose a new model for managing strategic inter-organisational relationships.

Attachments

Managing Strategic Relationships In Inter-organisational Projects
1st September 2022

Knowledge Type

Report

Organisation

International Monetary Fund
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Technical Assistance Report – Public Investment Management Assessment: Climate Change Module

This Technical Report discusses the results of applying the climate-focused module of the Public Investment Management Assessment (PIMA) to the UK in October 2021. The UK has some of the most ambitious climate mitigation targets in the world, requiring a strong role for public investment. The Climate-PIMA found that the UK has a relatively well-designed system to manage climate relevant public investment, but there is room to strengthen its institutional design and improve effectiveness.

 

Attachments

Technical Assistance Report-Public Investment Management Assessment: Climate Change Module
14th December 2022

Knowledge Type

Major Projects Association Report Video

Organisation

Major Projects Association Infrastructure and Projects Authority Viridor Home Office Nuclear Waste Services
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Connecting Projects to Strategy: the Role of the Chief Projects (Delivery) Officer

Summary

As organisations in both the public and private sector embark on larger, more complex and transformation projects, their Boards struggle to provide the oversight and support required because they simply lack the technical skills to understand the implications of this work. One solution increasingly adopted is to appoint a Chief Projects (Delivery) Officer; someone who can advise the Board on what is required to translate strategy into a coherent and deliverable portfolio of projects and programmes and who can assume responsibility for the value these investments need to generate.

This webinar, organised jointly by the Major Projects Association and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority brought together leading figures from the public and private sector to explain how their organisation has approached this new CPO role and share their experience of the change.

The event kicked-off with a short, two-handed presentation by John Corderoy and Rob Van Duijl from the Geological Disposal Facility programme who explained how they have approached realising this multi-generational programme. Rob introduced us to the concept of the Intelligent and Athletic Client Organisation; one that can flex the scale of its team and their activity, in response to phases of the programme that need bursts of speed or moments of lower activity. Jonathan Heneghan from Viridor then told us how their position as the UK’s primary ‘energy from waste’ company translates into different types of complex project, each requiring a different set of capabilities. He explained the challenges this presents to him in his role as Programme Director as he helps the Board to address everything from technical risk and commercial uncertainty to securing knowledge retention. Karina Singh from the IPA outlined their approach to the new CPDO role in relation to the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio. Someone who ‘orchestrates’ the organization and its systems to deliver a departmental portfolio ‘well’. Finally Suzanne Newton from the Home Office shared her experience of managing and balancing across a portfolio of projects and programmes that is the largest and most diverse for a single department. She explained some of the key challenges in setting up for success and in leading and championing the team of 2000 project professionals to enable them to deliver the portfolio.

Following the presentations, the recording includes the 45 minutes of questions and discussions between the speakers and the 250 or so members of the online audience, representing a wide range of roles and industries within major projects.

Related resources:

The Chief Projects Officer – An Essential Part of the Future C-Suite (APM)

The Rise of the Chief Projects Officer by Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez (HBR)

 

 

 

20th October 2022

Knowledge Type

Audio/Video

Organisation

Association for Project Management Nuclear Institute

Major Project

HS2
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Storytelling in major projects: The art of communicating archaeology

Summary

Storytelling enables nuclear, transport and other large infrastructure projects to communicate their challenges, progress, and experience. What does this look like in practice?

Everyone loves a great story and in our profession, we are fortunate to have so many to tell. The challenge discussed in this webinar on Thursday 20 October, was how best to pitch that story to the audience. It’s not always a keen local society or a group of school students; sometimes it’s a hard-pressed developer or a client with competing demands. I want to share some of the ways that HS2 and its amazing supply chain has sought to communicate the nature, excitement, and challenges of our works. Helen highlighted examples of current best practice, ways to reach a wide audience and how to help celebrate the benefit that archaeological practice brings in so many ways.

This the first in a joint Nuclear Institute and APM Project Management SIG three-part webinar series on the theme of from Lessons Learned to Shared Knowledge.

28th September 2022

Knowledge Type

Guidance/Good practice

Organisation

Nuclear Waste Services

Major Project

Geological Disposal Programme
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GDF (Geological Disposal Facility) Creating Jobs & Skills

Summary

Creating Jobs and SkillsMore than 4,000 jobs are set to be created during the siting and constructing of a deep underground facility for the safe and secure disposal of higher-activity radioactive waste.

The GDF – (Geological Disposal Facility) Creating Jobs & Skills: A First Look report sets out how the multi-billion-pound programme is expected to create thousands of skilled, well-paid jobs for over a century.

Full Resource

7th February 2022

Knowledge Type

Case Study

Organisation

Navy Lookout

Major Project

Project D154: Nuclear Submarine Decommissioning
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Project D154: Dismantle ex-Royal Navy Nuclear Submarines

Summary

Since the 1960s, nuclear submarines have become arguably amongst the most important defence assets of the UK. An outstanding industrial, and political effort during the Cold War provided the RN with a formidable nuclear submarine force. Unfortunately, successive governments failed to make arrangements for the timely disposal of these boats. In a less environmentally conscious era, filling the boats with concrete and sinking them in the deep ocean was the original plan but the disposal of nuclear waste at sea was banned by the London Dumping Convention in 1983. Planning for the dismantling of these submarines should have been started at that time, but only in the last 10 years has there been a serious effort to grip the issue.

Small reactors sealed up and contained within the boats do not represent a great hazard but maintaining them safely while they await dismantling is a growing drain on the defence budget. More than £500M has been spent on submarine storage and maintenance since the RN’s first nuclear boat was withdrawn.

Full Resource

28th January 2022

Knowledge Type

Guidance/Good practice

Organisation

National Audit Office

Major Project

Decommissioning of AGR Nuclear Power Stations
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The Decommissioning of the AGR Nuclear Power Stations

Summary

This report examines whether the outcome of the Department’s negotiations with EDFE, and subsequent preparations for defueling and deconstruction, are likely to lead to better value for money when decommissioning the AGR fleet.

The report covers the:

  • background to decommissioning the AGR stations, how decommissioning is funded and the prospect of the need for more taxpayer money to cover the long-term costs (Part One);
  • commercial agreements which underpin how decommissioning will be delivered including the Department’s rationale for renegotiating the agreements, and whether it met its negotiating objectives (Part Two);
  • arrangements to remove fuel from the AGR stations (Part Three); and
  • progress with planning for the eventual transfer and decommissioning of the AGR stations to NDA and Magnox Ltd (Part Four).

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