The British government recently announced plans of setting up UK Largest Nuclear Expansion for 70 years; this move, according to France 24, will foster British nuclear energy production and its sustainability. Currently, the country has two major nuclear power projects, Sizewell C and Hinkley. The British government has also revealed that it plans to build a major nuclear power plant which it says that they are fully committed to setting up a nuclear reactor that will be quite a massive one.
Nuclear Power Plant in UK Largest Nuclear Expansion Project to have the Same Size as Sizewell C
The upcoming nuclear power plant will have the same size as Sizewell C. Hinkley and Sizewell C will have the capability of supplying power to over 12 million homes in the United Kingdom, each of the plant is expected to power 6 million homes. In his visit to the Sizewell C in Suffolk, Former British prime minister Boris Johnson stated that the British government has pledged £700 million to the plant, Johnson also stated that the country must go nuclear and large altogether. The new plant that the government pledged to build will be as big as Sizewell C located in eastern England; £300 million is expected to be pumped into the project, to facilitate the production of HALEU, the nuclear fuel required to power the new high-tech reactor, the fuel is only commercially produced in Russia.
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UK Nuclear Reactors that Shut Down Since 2021
Three sites having been shut down since 2021 and are expected to be dismantled; two plants however, Heysham 1 and Harlepool will not be shut down, this infor,mation was revealed by EDF. The proposal is part of the Civil Nuclear Roadmap, that states the policies that should be implemented for the United Kingdom to quadruple its nuclear capacity by 2050, which will be the biggest nuclear energy infrastructure expansion in 70 years. The British government intends to acquire 3-7 gigawatts-worth of energy investment in every five years in the decade between 2030-2040. Generation of jobs for UK citizens, reducing the cost of energy for UK households and that of the country and also, facilitating the transition to net-zero carbon emissions are the key reasons why the British government is keen on the implementation of UK Largest Nuclear Expansion project.
Scope of the Project
“Nuclear energy will be the perfect solution to the energy challenges that are facing Britain, nuclear energy is green, quite cheaper and will guarantee the energy security for the country in the long-term” said British Prime minister, Rishi Sunak. The United Kingdom has nine reactors that are located in five sites today, many of them are however, coming to the end of their operation lives. Additionally, plans are underway to set up eight new reactors by 2050.
Claire Coutinho, British Energy security secretary, said that strengthening British energy security by implementing the UK Largest Nuclear Expansion project will mean a lot to the country and will save them from the hands of energy tyrants like Russia. The project will also go a long way in saving Britain from future energy price hikes that affect ordinary British citizens. The country hopes to lead the way from the North West energy production center, providing the world with uranium fuel, the first nuclear power plant is expected to start operations in 2030.
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