The NI London Branch is pleased to confirm a presentation by Simon Walker of Imperial College on some of the financial aspects associated with nuclear power. This event will take place on Thursday 2nd February at 6.30pm at the office of Herbert Smith LLP, Exchange House, Primrose Street, London EC2A 2HS. Refreshments will be provided kindly sponsored by Herbert Smith LLP.

The programme for the evening will be as follows:

18:30 - Lecture

19:15 - Q&A

19:30 - Networking

20:30 - Close

To register for this event, please email (henry.gibbins@edf-energy.com) or (London.branch@nuclearinst.com) including "London Branch Finance Lecture" in the subject. Please register for the event, as due to security reasons people who show up on the day without registering will not be able to enter the building. This event will also provide an excellent opportunity to network with other professionals working within the nuclear industry. Please note that this event and all future events are aimed at a wide audience and open to all parties.

Event Information

Successful implementation of any "nuclear new-build" project will require a co-ordinated effort from both technical and non technical professionals. As the UK will be purchasing pre-designed reactors from overseas vendors, it could be argued that the majority of the effort expended by the UK workforce could be in the non-technical/financial/legal disciplines.

Lawyers, bankers and others involved in say the financing and building of a shopping mall, all have a clear idea of what a shopping mall is; the structure includes a Food Court, an 'anchor store', and so on. This level of background knowledge is un-noticed and taken for granted. However, it is important for all involved, and it is generally lacking in a nuclear context.

This talk is aimed at non-technical professionals who are likely to have involvement with nuclear new build projects; lawyers, financiers, bankers, and so on. The objective is to give a simple, top-down discursive description of nuclear power, emphasising its unique characteristics, and drawing contrasts and parallels with more familiar alternatives such as CCGT. Specific topics to be covered include:-

• What makes nuclear special; unique technical, safety and commercial aspects
• Energy quantities, energy mix, fuel resources
• The role of ‘nuclear’ in electricity
• Basic nuclear reactor engineering; the bits a nuclear power plant must have, and the new build plants on offer in this context.
• Making money from nuclear power generation
• Nuclear power economics
• What should worry a banker or investor?
• Will 'Electricity Market Reform' reduce the risk to investors?

Dr Simon Walker currently heads the Nuclear Research Group in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Imperial College. The group is engaged in research into various aspects of nuclear reactor safety and design. His university lecturing encompasses nuclear power, the economics of nuclear generation, and managerial economics. He is engaged in consulting and advisory roles in both civil and submarine nuclear power. Previously, he was employed by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, involved in reactor safety studies. Following that he worked for Shell International, in Holland and Canada, where he led a group undertaking financial evaluation and modelling of proposed oil and gas developments.