Italian company to target Britain with 20 mini-nukes

A new Italian energy company is planning to build 20 mini-reactors in the UK to capitalize on the expansion of nuclear power in the country.

Newcleo aims to build up to six mini-nukes in Britain. These sites will all be located near industries that use a lot of energy.

The reactors are controversial because they will be powered with plutonium. This fuel is not used in the UK currently, partly due to its association with nuclear weapons.

After the government recently relaxed restrictions on nuclear development in remote areas, the company said that it wanted to build near densely populated centres.

Newcleo says its reactors are efficient, safe, and will provide low-carbon energy at a cheap price to UK industry.

Andrew Murdoch, Newcleo’s managing director for Nuclear, said: “We’ve started shortlisting and are advancing some conversations.”

He said that industrial clusters, like those in Teesside, Humberside, and Merseyside are the natural places to be. The energy transition is centered in these areas, and they are a great place to start.

Mr Murdoch stated that the generating capability of Newcleo’s reactors would be significantly lower than those currently under construction at Hinkley Point C or Sizewell C.

This means that they can be built in factories and offer huge savings over giant projects like Hinkley.

Mr Murdoch also mentioned how exotic new technologies could be exploited, such as using molten lead for transferring heat from the reactor in order to generate steam.

Newcleo’s current focus is on creating a functional reactor design. This will be the first stage towards potentially obtaining regulatory approval.

If approved, Murdoch stated that the reactors will cost approximately £5bn for each gigawatt, as opposed to Hinkley point C’s cost of £15bn.

Murdoch said that the small reactors can be constructed and installed in as little as four years. This is a far cry from the 20 years required by Hinkley.

He added that the reduction in time would lead to a huge reduction in finance costs.

Newcleo’s official headquarters is in London, but the majority of its staff and research is located in Italy.

The announcement is made at a time when the nuclear industry is experiencing rapid growth.

Both the Conservatives as well as Labour in the UK have supported plans for an expansion of nuclear energy.

Nuclear power is expected to generate 24Gw by 2050. This would be equivalent to around two fifths of the current demand.

The power would be generated by a combination of large nuclear power plants, like Hinkley Point C or Sizewell C as well as small modular reactors.

Six other companies, including Rolls-Royce Westinghouse EDF and EDF, have also had designs selected for the first SMR generation.

Newcleo’s technology is aimed at the next generation SMRs, which are planned to be released in the next decade.

Murdoch stated that Newcleo hopes to build their first UK power plant in the early 2030s.

He said: “We plan to build about 20 reactors on four or six sites.” The clustering of the reactors will make them more efficient.

Tom Greatrex said, “SMRs are going to provide clean, reliable, and sovereign energy for a long time.”

They are based upon a proven technology that can be used to expand the use and knowledge of well-known modular techniques. These reactors are designed to generate electricity 24/7 and work with renewables in order to keep the lights on, no matter what the weather.

Steve Thomas, professor emeritus of energy policy and expert in nuclear power at Greenwich University, said that the proponents of SMRs had done an excellent job of giving the impression they were cheaper, quicker to build, and would create a slew of jobs. All of this is false.

“There have been no orders for any SMR, only a few prototype plants which will not result in commercial orders.”