Novel detector instrumentation systems are required to support the operation and decommissioning of our nuclear power stations, either based on fission or fusion technologies. In this project, synthetic diamond will be used as a radiation detector for the measurement of gamma and neutron radiation. This project will commercialise a well-proven detector which has been used to make measurements inside some of the most hazardous buildings in the world, where fissile and radioactive materials are present. Based on diamond technology first used in the Large Hadron Collider, this commercialisation project will take the technology from operational proof-of-principle demonstrators developed by the University of Bristol and Sellafield (and used inside reprocessing tanks) to a series of products which will be operated as a service by Cavendish Nuclear Limited. To achieve commercialisation, this project has solicited support from a wide range of industrial and academic partners in the UK, Japan and Italy. Each member of this international team brings specific expertise and facilities, from Kyoto University's nuclear research reactor, where we will demonstrate the detector's capability to measure the reactor's power output (through neutron flux measurement), to Sellafield's Highly Active Storage Tanks, in which we will demonstrate real-time high gamma dose rate measurement. Our industrial partners have requested a focus on neutron detection, an important capability they are currently struggling to achieve using existing technology. Neutron detection will be important to prevent accidental criticality and recover from any such event. Our Japanese partners have specifically requested this capability to allow them to safely remove the fuel from within the stricken nuclear reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, and it will be useful in UK facilities safely containing fissile material. A Criticality Incident Detection System (CIDS) is needed in any industrial facility holding fissile material, to mitigate risks to personnel in the event of an accidental criticality. This must detect a criticality and continue to measure afterwards in case of knock-on events. Further testing and development are still needed, but the potential for superseding existing CIDS technologies with a cheaper, more compact and robust alternative is exciting. Neutron detection alongside gamma detection would be highly desirable: on-going pulsed/continuous criticality is not measured by any current devices after an initial event; and there are a multitude of applications in gloveboxes and large facilities for a portable system. There is equally a need for rapid neutron detection in reactor core environments (fission and fusion), where the neutron flux is far more sustained and intense. Diamond is potentially very well-suited to such applications, with a proven sensitivity to thermal and fast neutrons better than that of gamma radiation. Accordingly, the aim of the current proposal is to develop a diamond detector system capable of detecting moderate-to-high neutron fluxes in real time, with the operator and detection electronics at a safe remote working distance. This will build on the software and hardware already developed for high-dose gamma measurement, increasing the value of the detection system. Such technology will be invaluable for Gen IV fission reactor concepts, including small modular reactors, as well as future fusion reactors, including JET, ITER and DEMO projects, and the UKAEA's recently announced Small Tokomak for commercial Energy Production (STEP) programme. Longer term, the measurement of neutron energies through spectroscopy will help enable fusion technologies to become realistic. Not only can we use the diamond neutron detectors being developed in this project to measure the reactor power (as above), but we will also be able to demonstrate that the operational fusion reactor is self-sufficient in tritium by breeding its own fuel!

Scope and Operating Vision We propose a facility that will become an internationally-recognised hive for collaborative research in nuclear robotics and sensors. The facility will provide necessary infrastructure and equipment to support significant sector change, both in terms of technology-innovation and culture. Complementary nuclear robotics-related equipment and mock-ups will be based at four strategic UK locations: Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) at UKAEA, Culham; the University of Bristol's Fenswood Facility on the outskirts of Bristol; the Workington Laboratory of National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL); and the University of Manchester's Dalton Cumbria Facility (DCF). The Hot Robotics facility will run via a coordinated "Hub and Spoke" approach, with RACE being the primary site. Together, these facilities will form a coordinated National Nuclear User Facility for hot nuclear robotics. Our aim is for NNUF-HR to be a national facility for the next 25 years, supporting UK ambitions for cheaper, faster decommissioning, nuclear new-build, advanced modular fission reactors and future fusion powerplants. Summary of Equipment Our proposal is for a combination of robotic manipulators, ground vehicles, aerial vehicles, underwater vehicles, deployment robots, various sensors and cameras, plant mock-ups, and supporting infrastructure. By proposing such a breadth of equipment, across multiple sites, we are confident of having the widest possible reach and impact in terms of scientific output and user base. Why These Four Locations? We have specifically chosen four sites to build on existing infrastructure and relationships. It is essential, in terms of both geography and distribution of existing capabilities, that there are four sites in this proposal. Truly UK-wide benefits would not be able to be achieved by limiting this proposal to a single site. The Bristol site is ideally placed in respect of major nuclear sector activities in the South West, such as new-build at Hinkley Point C, Magnox site decommissioning (Berkeley, Winfrith and Oldbury) and substantial training/skills undertakings associated with the National College for Nuclear (NCfN) southern site at Bridgwater & Taunton College. At Culham, as well as UKAEA, there is close proximity to both Harwell (Magnox and other nuclear companies), AWE and support of the Oxfordshire LEP in terms of innovation and skills. In Cumbria, DCF and NNL Workington are ideally placed for Sellafield and also the NCfN northern training site at Lakes College, Workington. How Will Users Access the Facility and its Equipment? The facility will provide access to cutting-edge robotics equipment and experts, supporting research, innovation, commercialisation and training. There will be two modes of access: (1) Universities and their industrial partners will be able to book both space and equipment inside the facility for supported experiments, demonstrations and technology certification. (2) Users will also be able to hire-out, to their own laboratories or to nuclear sites, turn-key 'containerised' robotics solutions to facilitate development, integration and testing of new capabilities, control algorithms and sensory add-ons. This latter mode of access will enable a widening of academic and industrial participation to fully utilise the facility's resources. NNUF-HR funding is not expected to create a full decommissioning toolkit to decommission Sellafield - such a toolkit will cost £Bs over decades. NNUF-HR's ambition is to show what is possible and, hence, influence decision-makers and enable the routine use of robotics for high-hazard working. However, we envisage that the containerised decommissioning toolkit will be the proof-of-concept enabling rapid expansion with industry investment. Hence, NNUF-HR will create the prototype facilities for much wider use.

UK government is committed to nuclear energy having an important role in delivering a secure, low-carbon and affordable energy future, with their aspirations for new build power stations and life extension of the existing fleet described in policy documents. Successful delivery of this policy recognises the need for research and development, skills development and international collaboration as key enablers. A central component is the need to demonstrate our ability to safely manage and dispose of civil nuclear waste. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is responsible for the delivery of policy aims with respect to legacy waste, with Radioactive Waste Management charged with the delivery of a geological disposal facility and waste management solutions. EPSRC strategy is to maintain investment in nuclear fission research, recognising nuclear power as having an important role in the future low-carbon energy mix, with a strategic focus being research underpinning the decommissioning, immobilisation and management of nuclear waste. Central components of all these strategies are "a joined-up approach to nuclear R&D across government, industry and academia which...benefit(s) the UK economy" and, of benefit to UK industry, that establishes it "as a global leader in waste management and decommissioning" (see Case for Support). The successful delivery of decommissioning, immobilisation and management of nuclear waste solutions also impacts on public acceptance of any new build programme. In relation to any geological disposal facility, there is a need to demonstrate an ability to safely manage and dispose of waste from legacy operations, with studies of public attitudes showing that acceptance of such a facility is directly linked to having viable routes for the safe clean-up and disposal of any waste. These strategies rely on further research and development being delivered over the next 10-20 years. The work of the consortium is part of the response to this need, providing support to an internationally leading group of researchers in this key area. The work will contribute to the health of nuclear fission research, and through developments within specific disciplines, to areas beyond nuclear. It addresses key societal challenges in relation to productive and resilient nation outcomes through the development of next generation technologies and by ensuring effective and affordable solutions for waste treatment. It will also contribute to the building of public confidence in waste management solutions, and assist the acceptance of nuclear power, as well as contributing to UK economic success by maintaining our position as a world leader in waste management research, and in assisting industry to maintain its world leading position. The consortium comprises key industry partners and leading academic researchers from 11 research intensive universities with significant expertise in nuclear research and development. The research proposed is multi-disciplinary and covers fundamental and applied topics, including 40 research projects clustered into 4 technical themes. The consortium is made up of established researchers from a diverse range of backgrounds, who are all leaders in their field, with a track-record of innovation and problem solving in the nuclear area. It also comprises many early career researchers who, as well as having relevant nuclear-related expertise, are included to provide them with invaluable experience of a large consortium project, and to further develop their profile and influence, as they mature into leaders in the field. The consortium builds upon and consolidates the work of the previous EPSRC-funded project DISTINCTIVE (Decommissioning, Immobilisation and Storage Solutions for Nuclear Waste Inventories, EP/L014041/1), bringing together researchers from a larger group of universities and increasing the multi-disciplinary nature of the group to extend and develop the academic skills base within the UK.

The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Nuclear Energy Futures aims to train a new generation of international leaders, at PhD level, in nuclear energy technology. It is made up of Imperial College London (lead), Bristol University, Cambridge University, Open University and Bangor University. These institutions are some of the UK's leading institutions for research and teaching in nuclear power. The CDTs key focus is around nuclear fission i.e. that is the method of producing energy by splitting the atom, which currently accounts for 11% of the world's electricity and 20% of the UK's electricity, whilst producing very low levels of carbon emissions (at levels the same as renewable energy, such as wind). The CDT whilst focused on fission energy technologies will also have PhD projects related to fusion nuclear energy and projects needed or related to nuclear energy such as seismic studies, robotics, data analytics, environmental studies, policy and law. The CDT's major focus is related to the New Nuclear Build activities at Hinkley Point, Somerset and the Anglesey site in north Wales, where EDF Energy and Horizon, respectively, are building new fission power plants that will produce around 3.2 and 2.7 GWe of nuclear power (about 13% of the UK current electricity demand). The CDT will provide the skills needed for research related to these plants and potential future industry leaders, for nuclear decommissioning of current plants (due to come off-line in the next decade) and to lead the UK in new and innovative technologies for nuclear waste disposal and new reactor technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs). The need for new talented PhD level people is very high as many of the UK's current technical experts were recruited in the 1970s and 80s and many are near retirement and skills sector studies have shown many more are needed for the new build projects. The CDT will champion teaching innovation and will produce a series of bespoke courses that can be delivered via on-line media by the very best experts in the field from across the CDT covering areas such as the nuclear fuel cycle; waste and decommissioning; small modular reactors; policy, economics and regulation; thermal hydraulics and reactor physics as well as leading on responsible research and innovation in the sector. The CDT is supported by a wide range of nuclear companies and stakeholders. These include those involved in the new build process in the UK such as EDF Energy, Hitachi-GE, Horizon and Rolls-Royce, the latter of which are developing a UK advanced modular reactor design. International nuclear stakeholders from countries such as the USA, UAE, Australia and France will support the student development and the CDT programme. The students in the CDT will cover a very broad training in all aspects of nuclear power and importantly for this sector will engage in both media training activities and public outreach to make nuclear power more open to the public, government and scientists and engineers outside of the discipline.