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.