The Law of Nuclear Energy 4th ed

Whatever area you work in – development, finance or research – this essential text helps you understand all aspects of the law of nuclear energy.

Part 1 offers a comprehensive overview of nuclear law and nuclear power projects, providing a foundation upon which countries can establish or develop legislative frameworks and regulate nuclear power projects. Part 2 covers the development of nuclear power projects, providing, amongst other things, guidance on producing a tender document evaluating tenders, a review of the key provisions of a nuclear construction contract and an introduction to nuclear finance, and chapters covering the front and back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. Part 3 discusses small modular nuclear reactors (“SMRs”) and future issues in international nuclear energy law.

The 4th edition has been updated throughout with highlights including:

• Expanded discussion of energy security in light of recent geopolitical events (e.g., Russia-Ukraine war), and the resurgence of nuclear as a strategic energy source.
• Added recent data on nuclear plant capacity factors, uranium supply initiatives, and progress on deep geological repositories (e.g., Finland, Sweden, Canada).
Incorporated the 2024 revision of the IAEA Milestones Approach, with a new focus on SMRs and their unique infrastructure considerations.
• Included discussion of the 2021 entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
• Expanded coverage of the latest amendments to the Paris and Brussels Conventions (entered into force 2022).
• Added details on recent UK and US regulatory reforms, including the establishment of the UK Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce and updates to ONR/EA cooperation.
• New detail on export credit agency arrangements, OECD guidelines, and government support mechanisms (e.g., contracts-for-difference, tax credits).
• Expanded treatment of international fuel market security, non-proliferation, and multinational fuel cycle initiatives (e.g., IUEC, IAEA LEU Bank, URENCO).
• Expanded discussion of SMR legal and regulatory frameworks, including international treaties, licensing, export controls, and regulatory harmonisation efforts (e.g., 2024 UK/US/Canada MoC).
• New content on contracting, financing, and the role of standardisation in SMR deployment.