Lunch & Roundtable | What role nuclear can play in delivering Britain’s energy future. Hosted by the Amentum.
Net Zero Week in Parliament is openly inviting MPs and policy aides, Peers and civil servants to attend events between Monday 7th to Wednesday 9th July.
If you would like to attend this lunch and roundtable discussion, please email the host at Dan Bennett dan.bennett@global.amentum.com
Roundtable details:
Wednesday 9th July 2025 | 13:00 – 14:30 | Room U, Portcullis House.
Roundtable synopsis:
In a rapidly changing energy landscape, with new demands being placed on it, the UK is at a critical juncture as it embarks on a journey to upgrade its energy infrastructure for future generations. Not only will the grid need extra capacity as power stations continue to be decommissioned, energy intensive industries powering the tech and AI revolution will require their own energy sources to power our future economy. This roundtable will explore how new nuclear – both gigawatt and small modular reactors – can play a major role in providing always-on baseload generation that is emission-free, secure and affordable.
*This event is Sponsored by Josh MacAlister MP.
Roundtable Panellists:
- Lincoln Hill, Director of Policy and External Affairs, Nuclear Industry Association.
- Tone Langengen, Policy Lead – UK Net Zero, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
- Paul Hennessey, Principal Consultant Technologist and New Markets Director, Amentum.
- Simon Franklin, Technical Director for Advanced Energy, Amentum.
Paul Hennessey is Principal Consultant Technologist and New Markets Director for Amentum. Providing strategic advice and consulting on technology adoption and deployment, to solve complex challenges in the new and emerging markets within the Energy, Defence and Complex Engineering/Science and Technology sectors. Working globally, Paul specialises in market evaluation, business case, solution delivery and end-user stakeholder engagement regarding the ‘art of the possible’ for technology implementation. Paul also acts as a Subject Matter Expert for Advanced Nuclear Technologies, Hydrogen and Clean Energy. In addition, Paul sits as the Vice-Chair of the Northern Nuclear Alliance, is a Board Member of the Hydrogen Energy Association, a council member of NNL’s Advanced Modular Reactor, End User Advisory Board and Amentum’s lead for Clean Energy in their research partnership with Manchester University.
Simon Franklin is Technical Director for Advanced Energy. He holds over 33 years’ broad and deep nuclear experience including technical management, strategy positions in consultancy, reactor fuel vendors, reactor vendors, and new nuclear developers. He holds a good understanding of nuclear policy, regulation, and nuclear challenges and opportunities. Starting from a base of reactor core design and fuel cycle planning for Sizewell B PWR, and nuclear site license holder for the last UK isotope production and research reactor for 10 years, Simon was the senior engineering manager leading procurement of the main components for the Hinkley Point C project. He has overseen licensing support across a wide range of reactors, and is responsible for licensing strategy. Recently, seconded to the Nuclear Innovation and Research Office, he supported technical oversight of the delivery against the UK Government investment of £200M+ RRSMR match funding and advised UK Government on selection of reactors and projects a range of projects, looked at regulatory reform for accelerated new build, supported AMR selection strategy and feasibility, and led a project looking at a nuclear innovation roadmap for High Temperature Gas Reactors. Simon is currently working on a number of projects providing strategic consultancy to countries considering nuclear power and is part of the Energy Engineering and Technical Services lead team. Simon sits on the board of the Amentum ANSWERS radiation software business and is a trustee of the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.
Attendance:
Book your attendance at this lunch and roundtable event by contacting the host Dan Bennett at dan.bennett@global.amentum.com
