[Jack Aylmer]
THE NEW U.S. ENERGY POLICY IS
“Drill baby, drill”-U.S. President Donald Trump
BUT IN THE U.K., THEY’RE SAYING “BUILD BABY BUILD.”
THOSE ARE THE WORDS OF BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER-
WHO WANTS TO POSITION HIS COUNTRY AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN NUCLEAR POWER.
SPEAKING AT THE NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY IN LANCASHIRE-
STARMER ANNOUNCED PLANS TO ACCELERATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL MODULAR NUCLEAR REACTORS, OR SMRS, IN THE U.K.
SAYING THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE REMOVING RESTRICTIONS ON WHERE NUCLEAR PLANTS CAN BE DEVELOPED-
AND WILL BE WORKING TO SPEED UP THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR BUILDING THESE FACILITIES.
RIGHT NOW, IT CAN TAKE NEARLY 20 YEARS FOR A NUCLEAR POWER PROJECT IN THE U.K. TO BE COMPLETED.
“This is a real game changer when it comes to nuclear. It’s part of a bigger story about clean power.”-U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer
NUCLEAR ENERGY CURRENTLY GENERATES ABOUT 15% OF THE UK’S ELECTRICITY, DOWN FROM 25% IN THE 1990S.
NO NEW POWER STATIONS HAVE BEEN BUILT SINCE THEN, AND SEVERAL EXISTING REACTORS ARE SET TO BE DECOMMISSIONED IN THE COMING YEARS.
THE SMRS WHICH THE COUNTRY NOW IS LOOKING TO BUILD ARE CONSIDERED A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL NUCLEAR PLANTS-
BUT THE TECHNOLOGY HAS YET TO BE COMMERCIALLY PROVEN.
SOME ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS HAVE CRITICIZED THE PLAN-
WITH GREENPEACE UK SAYING THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT CRITICALLY EXAMINED THE FEASIBILITY OF SMRS-
CALLING THEIR PROJECTED COSTS, DELIVERY TIMES, AND SAFETY “OPTIMISTIC CONJECTURE.”
MEANWHILE, THE GOVERNMENT ARGUES THE EXPANSION OF NUCLEAR POWER WILL REDUCE RELIANCE ON FOREIGN ENERGY SOURCES AND STABILIZE ELECTRICITY COSTS.
AS PART OF THE NEW MEASURES, A NUCLEAR REGULATORY TASKFORCE WILL BE ESTABLISHED TO STREAMLINE APPROVAL PROCESSES AND REDUCE DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES.
CONSTRUCTION IS ALREADY UNDERWAY ON TWO NEW NUCLEAR REACTORS IN ENGLAND-
WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO BE DELIVERING POWER BY 2030.
FOR MORE STORIES FROM THE GLOBAL ENERGY SECTOR, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME- JACK AYLMER.