Innovative Forging and Fabrication Solutions for the Energy Sector

A new manufacturing process could forge the UK’s next generation of nuclear reactor components from hollow ingots rather than solid steel billets, dramatically cutting waste and energy use. Building large-scale civil nuclear components—such as reactor pressure vessels and steam generators—is currently expensive, slow, and environmentally costly. Much of the starting material is machined away and scrapped. The UK also lacks the domestic capability to produce the largest, most complex parts, forcing reliance on overseas suppliers. This project tackles both problems by combining several advanced techniques: near-net-shape forging (forming metal close to its final geometry), hollow ingots (which eliminate the need to bore out a solid core), high-integrity electron beam welding, net-shape cladding, and high-speed machining. Process modelling and advanced material characterisation will then optimise the metallurgical properties of the finished components, ensuring they meet nuclear-grade safety standards. If successful, the project could reduce the cost, lead time, and embodied energy of nuclear forgings. That would lower the unit price of nuclear-generated electricity and cut CO₂ emissions from both manufacturing and power generation. It would also give the UK a competitive edge in the global nuclear market, strengthening domestic supply chains for clean energy infrastructure.