nuclear-news

UK delays ‘Great British Nuclear’ launch

Energy Secretary Grant Shapps was due to give a speech at London’s Science Museum.

Politico, BY CHARLIE COOPER, JULY 12, 2023

The U.K. government has delayed the official launch of a major arms-length body intended to support the country’s nuclear industry.

Energy Secretary Grant Shapps had been due to give a heavily-trailed speech at London’s Science Museum on Thursday, setting out his plans for Great British Nuclear and its role helping the U.K. hit its net zero goals.

But in an email to attendees, seen by POLITICO, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) confirmed the event was being rescheduled “due to unforeseen circumstances.”

Shapps was expected to use his speech to outline the next phase of a planned competition for manufacturing firms — including Rolls Royce and GE Hitachi — vying to develop small modular reactors (SMRs). The government hopes the new technology will provide cheaper, more flexible atomic power to help the U.K. hit its target of 24 gigawatts of nuclear generation by 2050.

The reasons for the cancellation were not immediately clear…………………  https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-delays-great-british-nuclear-launch/

July 13, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK