The government has today outlined plans for the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years
Its aim is to reduce electricity bills, support thousands of jobs and improve UK energy security – including exploring building a major new power station and investing in advanced nuclear fuel production.
The roadmap includes exploring a new power station as big as Hinkley C and Sizewell C with the UK becoming the first country in Europe to launch high-tech nuclear fuel programme with up to £300 million investment into UK production, with the aim of pushing Russia out of the global market
Taken together, the measures would quadruple UK nuclear power by 2050 to 24 gigawatts, enough to provide a quarter of the UK’s electricity needs.
“Nuclear is the perfect antidote to the energy challenges facing Britain — it’s green, cheaper in the long-term and will ensure the UK’s energy security,” said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Reactors currently provide around 15% of country’s electricity, but many ageing plants due to be decommissioned over next decade
Critics have however described the policy as being ‘as short-sighted as it is unnecessary’.
Green MP Caroline Lucus responding to the announcement said on X
“Nuclear is eye-wateringly costly, painfully slow & totally unnecessary – Government’s latest announcement is costly distraction from far more effective ways to tackle the climate crisis & bring down energy bills. We don’t need more nuclear white elephants”
