Britain has refocused on shoring up nuclear power since the start of the war in Ukraine, in the name of energy security, and faced with a fleet of ageing power stations.

The outbreak of war in the Middle East at the end of last month has since sent oil and gas prices surging, adding fresh momentum to the government's push to expand nuclear power.

"As the current Middle East conflict shows, we need to go further and faster to build the clean energy we need to get off volatile fossil fuel markets," Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said in a statement.

The reforms, due to be completed by the end of 2027, aim to simplify regulation, including overhauling certain environmental assessments.

An independent nuclear taskforce said it found the current nuclear regulation to be "overly complex" and "bureaucratic".

"The core of the plan is a move towards smarter regulation: proportionate, focused on real risk, rooted in evidence, and designed to effectively protect nature and biodiversity," the Labour government said in its statement.

The use of nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels is highly controversial, however, with many environmental groups warning about safety risks and the disposal of nuclear waste.

The UK has some of the highest energy prices in Europe, largely owing to its dependence on natural gas.