The UK government recently unveiled its ambitious plans for the "biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years" to boost the country's energy security, spur thousands of jobs, and decrease electricity bills. The plans also include constructing a major new power station and investments in advanced nuclear fuel production.
"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 for the long-term," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement.
"This is the right long-term decision and is the next step in our commitment to nuclear power, which puts us on course to achieve net zero by 2050 in a measured and sustainable way," he added.
MOCHOVCE, SLOVAKIA - NOVEMBER 6: Employees at the turbine hall of the third unit at Mochovce nuclear power plant on November 6, 2023 in Mochovce, Slovakia.
UK's Energy Independence
The UK government emphasized in its statement how it has intensified its measures to ensure the security of the energy supply to avoid price volatility since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago. The government has since made it a priority to establish energy independence.
The Civil Nuclear Roadmap will serve as an industry guidance for the future trajectory of the UK's ambitious nuclear program. It also outlines how the UK will maximize its domestic supply of clean energy by up to 24 gigawatts (GW), or 25% of the country's electricity demand, by 2050.
Subsequent proposals entail investigating a GW-scale power station comparable in size to Sizewell in Suffolk or Hinkley in Somerset, both having the capacity to supply electricity to six million homes.
The government would also invest up to £300 million in UK fuel manufacturing to bolster high-tech modern nuclear reactors, known as HALEU, which are only commercially manufactured in Russia.
First in Europe to Initiate HALEU
The UK will set the standard from its North West production hub to supply the world with this type of uranium fuel, being the first nation in Europe to initiate a HALEU program. The first facility is expected to be operational in the early 2030s.
According to the UK government, this expands the goal of bringing uranium conversion back to the nuclear fuel station in Springfields, both essential to driving Russian President Vladimir Putin out of the world market.
The country will also get an extra £10 million to build the facilities and expertise required to create further advanced nuclear fuels, supporting the UK's allies and ensuring a long-term domestic nuclear fuel supply.
The strategy also outlines the government's goal of securing 3-7GW worth of investment decisions on new nuclear projects every five years between 2030 and 2044.
"We're making the biggest investment in domestic nuclear energy in 70 years. Our £300 million plan to produce advanced nuclear fuel in the UK will supply nuclear plants at home and overseas - further weakening the Kremlin's grip on global energy markets," said UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Claire Coutinho.
"From large gigawatt projects to small modular reactors, the UK's wider nuclear revival will quadruple our nuclear capacity by 2050 - helping to power Britain from Britain," she added.
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