SONE Newsletter 312 – November 2025 | Supporters of Nuclear Energy

This month

Neville Chamberlain’s address to the SONE AGM 24/10/25
The SONE Annual General Meeting 24 October 2025
The SONE Dinner of the 3^rd of November
Some links to other recent news
Nuclear Infrastructure for less predictable changes of climate
Professor Ian Fells (1932-2025)

Neville Chamberlain’s address to the SONE AGM 24/10/25

Around 27 years ago Bernard Ingham and I agreed that the nuclear industry was rapidly running out of proponents. Most of the industry’s leaders were either direct government appointees or foreigners. No one left in the industry was inclined nor in a position to argue independently for the industry. With due respect to Wade, no academic supported us (except perhaps for the late lamented Ian Fells. And plenty attacked us !

So we decided to launch Supporters Of Nuclear Energy so that INDIVIDUALS who supported nuclear could find a home. We deliberately refused financial support from institutions, corporations or, heaven forbid, any arm of Government. We wanted to maintain our complete independence. We supported the principle of nuclear energy, the concept, and not get drawn into supporting specific projects.

Corporations could join, for example, the NIA and of course most did BUT they also invested in wind farms, solar, coal and oil, so we maintained that their nuclear support was not as clear as ours.

Things have, thankfully, changed. We have moved into a new era, with general acceptance of nuclear and, at least on paper, Government commitment. SONE’s role is now to marshal this new cohort of supporters and turn the ambitions into reality. Young people are now on our side

As SONE changes, so should, in my opinion, the leadership. I have served on the Exec Committee since SONE’s beginning and as its Chairman for some 8 years, since we lost Sir William McAlpine. I have joked with my colleagues that one of my ambitions is to be the first Chairman of SONE NOT to die in office.

And so Ladies and Gentlemen, I must tell you that I am NOT standing for re-election this time. I shall, of course, continue in membership and will support my successor in any way he or she wishes.

Let me take this opportunity to thank all my Committee colleagues, especially you Hon. Sec and indeed all the members for your support over the years.

Now, if I can steal a march on the proceedings, I want nominate as the next SONE Chairman, Ms Virginia Crosbie, who has agreed to stand and who will, if elected, I am sure, lead SONE into the next exciting and successful phase.

The SONE Annual General Meeting 24 October 2025

The Minutes are posted here. Following Neville’s demitting statement, posted above, Virginia Crosbie was elected Chairman, nem con. Mark Salisbury was elected as Treasurer (and in due course the current secretary will step aside too to make way for a new pair of hands!)

The SONE Dinner of the 3^rd of November

This occasion was held in the Senior Common Room, Keble College, Oxford, hosted by Wade. It was a welcome opportunity for in-person informal discussion about SONE and the future. The 15 guests included several long standing members of SONE, members of the Committee old and new, members of the Nuclear Institute Young Generation Network, and other well-wishers. Books were available, including the second edition of Professor Jack Simmons book on the radiological response to radiation, kindly donated by Heather Eggins.

Some links to other recent news

SizewellC gets financial go ahead

https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/uks-sizewell-c-achieves-financing-landmark

Wylfa to get 3, possibly 8, Rolls Royce SMRs

Despite a last minute intervention by the US Ambassador (that might have involved a “deal” with Anglesey getting another golf course from you-know-who) the Government has announced the SMRs to be built at Wylfa https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/uk-selects-wylfa-for-at-least-three-rolls-royce-smrs.
Further news from RR https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/bwxt-to-design-steam-generators-for-rolls-royce-smr

TRISO fuel

Like so many reactor concepts the development of TRISO fuel dates back to early developments in the UK – in this case to the Dragon reactor at Winfrith in the 1960s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_reactor That was discontinued, but carried further in Germany, South Africa, China and now in the US and France
https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/us-lab-begins-triso-fuel-irradiation-test
https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/framatome-plans-french-triso-fuel-pilot-plant
According to recent news work on it is to be revived in South Africa too
https://www.neimagazine.com/news/south-africa-revives-pbmr-project/

Canadian firm chosen to complete partially built US reactors

Whether they like it or not, politically the US and Canada are inseparably linked.

Brookfield and Cameco also engaged to restart other previously shutdown US plants

Nonetheless, some Canadians are angry at the proposal to build Westinghouse reactors in Canada rather than their own CANDU ones: https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/ap1000-under-consideration-for-deployment-in-alberta. (In fact, Westinghouse is a US firm that is currently 51% owned by Canadian Brookfield and 49% by Canadian Cameco.) https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7390077485901701120

Germany chooses to destroy nuclear cooling towers

https://world-nuclear-news.org/articles/cooling-towers-brought-down-at-german-plant German nuclear policy is still under the influence of environmental ideology, it seems, even though public attitudes may be becoming more realistic.

Nuclear Infrastructure for less predictable changes of climate

An editorial by Wade Allison.

The climate is changing, it seems, as indeed it has in the past. Whether human activity is always the dominant factor is less clear. Over the past 80 years the social mood has swung from an apprehension of a possible nuclear winter to a worldwide consensus that the dominant danger is global warming caused by human carbon emissions. The UN has responded to this by setting a Net Zero target. The natural world is unlikely to behave as expected, particularly because there are other factors that may overwhelm the effect of human activities worldwide over considerably periods. The outcome would be better if the human race prepared for a more general range of developments. In any event significant and reliable sources of energy are needed to survive large changes in ambient temperatures, negative or positive. Judging from history, instances of acute stress are likely to be caused by extreme volcanic activity.

In April 1815 ten cubic miles of Mount Tambora in Indonesia were ejected into the atmosphere and blocked out the warmth of the Sun for over a year. The worldwide harvest failure caused mass starvation and riots. No one was spared and 1816 became known as “The Year Without a Summer” with snow and frost in July and August. Writing at the time Mary Shelley was inspired to imagine the horror of “Frankenstein”. JMW Turner and John Constable recorded exceptional light in their paintings.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/magazine/frankenstein-guillermo-del-toro-shelley.html

An eruption on such a scale could happen again tomorrow. Scientific evidence is unable to give a date for this to happen, and national and international policies would be powerless to prevent its worldwide consequences. Curiously, the media have not chosen to exploit the possibility of a disaster story.

However, the nations of the world should make significant preparation for everybody’s sake, starting now. If the resilient infrastructure required to provide plentiful energy for heating and power were constructed in the preceding decades, the loss of life and social instability should be reduced compared to 1816– and the same investment in reliable energy should provide widespread air conditioning in the event of excessive warming instead of cooling. Nuclear power with on-site stockpiles of fuel could provide such social and economic resilience.

To alleviate the unpredictability of weather dependent food production investment should be made in extensive vertical farming. This could provide vegetables, fruit and more, 24/7 independent of season and geography, powered by waste heat and off-peak LED lights. Such an investment would require imagination and confidence, as did the Stockton-to-Darlington Railway and other advances of the Industrial Revolution in the UK 200 years ago. The promise of secure local nuclear energy, worldwide, would be better for our children and grandchildren, rather than arguing about money at regular COP meetings!

Professor Ian Fells (1932-2025)

Ian was an ardent and vocal supporter of nuclear energy, professionally and in the media at a time when few others were prepared to speak up. He and his wife Candida spoke of their plans at the SONE AGM in 2022. His obituary is published in the Times and in The Chemical Engineer.

https://www.thechemicalengineer.com/features/ian-fells-1932-2025/

Wade Allison, Hon Sec
20 November 2025

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