nuclear-news

UK’s new premier promises boost for nuclear power, WNN. 26 July 2019  Boris Johnson expressed his “passionate” support for nuclear power when he addressed the House of Commons for the first time as UK prime minister yesterday. Seven of the country’s eight existing nuclear plants are set to be retired by 2030, while new-build projects have faced financial uncertainty over the last two year………On 22 July, the day that Johnson was elected leader of the Conservative Party and two days before he officially replaced Theresa May as prime minister, the government launched a consultation into funding large-scale nuclear power plants and a proposed GBP18 million (USD22 million) investment into small modular reactors.

Greg Clark, secretary of state for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) – who Johnson replaced this week with Andrea Leadsom – announced in June 2018 that the government would review the viability of a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model for new nuclear projects. The consultation states that, as the cost of renewable technologies continues to fall, they are likely to provide the majority of the country’s low-carbon generating capacity in 2050. It adds however there will still be a crucial role for low-carbon ‘firm’ – always available – power in 2050.

The RAB model would not apply to Hinkley Point C (HPC), which is currently under construction by EDF Energy in Somerset, England, but would apply to future plants. As many as five more new-build projects had been planned – by EDF Energy together with China General Nuclear (CGN); NuGeneration (NuGen); and Horizon Nuclear Power……… http://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UKs-new-premier-promises-boost-for-nuclear-power