The University of Manchester has been awarded a £13m package to lead a groundbreaking programme that could redefine the role of graphite in nuclear power – a key step toward deploying next-generation advanced modular reactors in the UK.

Funded by an £8.2m grant from UK Research and Innovation’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and a further £5m from industry partners and higher education institutions, the five-year ENLIGHT initiative will address both the supply of high-grade nuclear graphite and the management of existing graphite waste.

Principal Investigator Professor Abbie Jones, Chair in Nuclear Graphite at The University of Manchester, highlighted the significance of the initiative: “Nuclear graphite plays a vital role in the safety and efficiency of advanced reactors, yet the UK currently relies on overseas suppliers for this material.

“ENLIGHT will lay the foundation to re-establish the UK-based graphite supply chain while developing sustainable solutions to recycle and reuse irradiated graphite – transforming a growing waste stream into a valuable resource.

“This programme will reduce waste, strengthen energy security, and support the country’s net zero ambitions.”

Why graphite matters for advanced modular reactors

Graphite is a critical component in many advanced modular reactor designs, including high-temperature gas-cooled reactors and molten salt reactors.

It serves as a moderator, helping to sustain nuclear reactions efficiently and safely. The material can account for up to one-third of reactor construction costs, yet the UK currently relies entirely on imports to meet its needs.

With the nation’s existing advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) fleet set to retire by 2028, and over 100,000 tonnes of irradiated graphite already in storage, finding sustainable, sovereign solutions has become urgent.

ENLIGHT aims to ensure that future advanced modular reactor projects are supported by a homegrown graphite supply chain and robust waste recycling systems.

Three-pronged approach to graphite innovation

The ENLIGHT programme will advance graphite technology through three main workstreams:

  • Sustainable graphite: Developing methods to safely decontaminate, recycle, and repurpose irradiated graphite for reuse in advanced modular reactors.
  • Graphite selection & design: Engineering new graphite materials capable of withstanding extreme conditions inside next-generation reactors.
  • Graphite performance: Studying how these materials behave under advanced modular reactors-specific conditions to maximise lifespan and efficiency.

These advances could save the UK an estimated £2bn in long-term waste management costs and strengthen its position as a global leader in nuclear materials science.

National collaboration for a net zero future

The University of Manchester will lead the project alongside the Universities of Oxford, Plymouth, and Loughborough, combining expertise in nuclear materials, computational modelling, and porous material analysis.

Loughborough researchers will employ advanced computational modelling to predict graphite performance under high-stress environments, while Plymouth’s team will focus on the microscopic structure of repurposed graphite to ensure safety and reliability.

Dr Katie Jones, Lecturer in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Plymouth, added: “This project is not just about scientific discovery; it’s about pioneering sustainable solutions for nuclear energy, turning waste into a valuable resource and bolstering the UK’s energy security for decades to come.

“This consortium embodies a truly cyclical and green approach to nuclear solutions, aiming for a cleaner energy transition and helping to demystify some of the traditional concepts that surround the nuclear industry.

“Our expertise in analysing the intricate properties of porous materials will be instrumental in ensuring the suitability of repurposed graphite for next-generation nuclear reactors, and we are particularly excited to have the opportunity to grow our relationship with The University of Manchester and our industrial partners across the nuclear industry through this initiative.”

Skills for the next generation of nuclear scientists

Beyond materials research, ENLIGHT will invest in workforce development to expand the UK’s graphite research community.

Training the next generation of scientists and engineers is seen as essential to meeting the government’s ambition of delivering 24GW of new nuclear capacity by 2050.

By pioneering sustainable graphite solutions for advanced modular reactors, the ENLIGHT programme not only addresses immediate challenges in material supply and waste management but also positions the UK as a hub for nuclear innovation – a move set to bolster energy security and accelerate progress toward net zero.