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The government has unveiled plans it claims could bring about the country’s “biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years”.
The new Civil Nuclear Roadmap describes how the UK could meet its existing target to generate up to 24GW of nuclear power by 2050.
If realised, this be would be four times the current capacity and provide a quarter of the UK’s electricity needs.
But as previous nuclear plants have been plagued by delays and spiralling costs, today’s plans have been met with scepticism by some.
These groups argue much of the money would be better spent on cheaper, renewable power, or on ways to reduce demand.
Announcing the plans today, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called nuclear power the “perfect antidote to the energy challenges facing Britain”.
Nuclear is “green” and “will ensure our future energy security and create the jobs and skills we need to level up the country and grow our economy”, he said.
Nuclear power provides very low-carbon electricity, the roadmap said there is “is no credible pathway to net zero” without it.
Its share of generation is currently falling in the UK, while demand for electricity is rising as the country electrifies home heating, transport and industry.
The roadmap also includes a government ambition to secure 3-7GW worth of investment decisions every five years from 2030 to 2044 on new nuclear projects.
UK nuclear power’s troubled history
Dr Simon Cran-McGreehin from climate thinktank ECIU welcomed the detail on the long-touted plans, but warned: “Nuclear history shows us that it is expensive, and it is usually more difficult and complicated to build and…
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