Advanced Nuclear Pipeline: How to Apply

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has published guidance on how to apply for its advanced nuclear pipeline. 

The United Kingdom Advanced Nuclear Pipeline (the Pipeline) is part of the Advanced Nuclear Framework (the Framework) published in February 2026. It is managed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). It is a register of privately led advanced nuclear projects that DESNZ believe are in principle sufficiently mature, meaning projects could credibly be delivered in the UK, subject to all applicable UK regulatory and government approvals.

Government and Great British Energy-Nuclear (GBE-N) will work with proposers of privately led advanced nuclear projects to undertake a coordinated three-stage process of engagement, evidence gathering and structured due diligence. The process explores the core aspects of project proposals and assesses their potential viability for deployment in the UK.

As projects progress through each stage of triage and deep dive, the process will scale up the level of detail and effort required, ensuring DESNZ sees sufficient evidence to consider a project’s potential viability. The government envisages that the full process to determine whether proposals are ready to join the Pipeline should take four months for mature and comprehensive proposals. This seeks to balance time needed by DESNZ and GBE-N to gather and review evidence with companies’ need for timely decision making to inform commercial plans.

This UK Advanced Nuclear Pipeline Guidance (the Guidance) document sets out further detail on:

• What being part of the Pipeline means

• How project participants can submit proposals for scrutiny.

To apply to the UK Advanced Nuclear Pipeline, projects must go through three main processes: an initial eligibility check to confirm the proposal is within scope, a phased Project Readiness Assessment to assess maturity and potential viability, and subject to meeting the required threshold, an invitation to join the Pipeline, which is granted at ministerial discretion.

Further details and application guidance can be found below.