New report highlights civil nuclear's contribution to UK economy

The study shows also that the economic impact increases to £12.4bn and 155,000 jobs when the sector’s spend on associated goods and services in the supply chain and the wage spend by employees are accounted for.

The report, compiled by Oxford Economics for the Nuclear Industry Association, found that each nuclear sector employee contributes an average of £96,600 in gross value added (GVA) to the economy, which is 73 per cent higher than the UK average.

This direct impact, while accounting for 0.3 per cent of UK GDP, also generated around £2.8bn in tax payments in 2016, rising to £4.5bn when associated spend is included.

In 1956 Calder Hall in north west England became the world’s first commercial nuclear power station and construction of the UK’s nuclear fleet has seen the establishment of an embedded supply chain in all parts of the UK, serving power stations, new build developments and decommissioning.