The UK’s net-zero goals have suffered a serious setback as the nuclear power production in Britain has fallen to its lowest levels since 1982.
According to data released by the Government and EDF, the permanent closure of Hinkley Point B and extended outages at other sites led to a fall in nuclear power production from 48 to 42 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2023.
This is a decline of 15pc compared to a year earlier. Nuclear power now provides only 13pc (compared to 30pc) of UK electricity, down from 30pc during the 1990s.
At one point during the summer, only one nuclear power plant was still in operation.
EDF, UK’s sole remaining nuclear operator, warned that two reactors were currently shut down, and another was operating at half-capacity with more planned outages.
Met Office had warned that the UK was at an increased risk of experiencing a severe cold snap. This means that gas demand will likely increase, both for heating homes and to generate electricity.
Claire Coutinho is the UK Energy Secretary and she’s preparing the UK Nuclear Roadmap, which will outline how the Government plans to build up to 24 gigawatts in nuclear power by 2050.
The UK is increasingly relying on nuclear power to ensure its energy security in the future. This is because it can provide constant baseload electricity. This is important as the UK becomes more reliant on renewable energy sources like wind, whose output can drop if the wind falls.
experts , however, believe that this target is unachievable . Since 1995, when Sizewell A in Suffolk was completed, the UK hasn’t built a new nuclear station.
Hinkley Point C in Somerset is currently being built and will generate 3.2Gw of electricity when operational. However, it has been delayed multiple times, and it may not open until 2029.
The cost of the project has increased by a staggering £18bn, to an estimated £33bn. This is more than £1,000 per household in the UK.
Tom Greatrex said, “Nuclear production is at its lowest level since 1982, because there are fewer nuclear power plants.”
After Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B retired in 2022, we are down to 5,9 GW, the lowest nuclear capacity since 1975.
The nuclear fleet has been retired for many years, yet successive governments have put off new projects for years, hoping to find something.
“That’s why we need to move forward with a new program of projects starting from SizewellC and beyond so that we don’t find ourselves in this situation in 2030s or beyond.”
Eight of Britain’s remaining nine nuclear reactors are advanced gas-cooled operating reactors (AGRs), spread over three main sites. All are scheduled to be shut down in 2026 or 2028.
EDF’s Sizewell B in Suffolk, opened in 1995, is a station that uses a completely different technology. The single pressurised-water reactor generates another 1.2Gw but will also be shut down in October for maintenance. The final shutdown is set for 2035.
EDF spokesperson said: “We’ll try to extend Sizewell B’s life by 20 years. We will also run the AGRs as long as they are safe and commercially feasible, but we won’t be able run them forever.”
“That’s why we need to have a clear timeline for the UK nuclear development beyond Hinkley Point C.”
Carbon Brief conducted a separate analysis that confirmed the decline of nuclear production but also showed a decline in UK electricity produced from fossil fuels.
In the UK, gas has been used to generate about 40% of electricity in the past few years. By 2023, this will drop to 33.5pc and coal will make up the remaining 1pc.
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “Our Nuclear Roadmap, which will be published soon, will outline our ambitions for Britain to benefit from as much as 24GW of nuclear energy by 2050. This would help deliver cleaner, cheaper electricity for families and businesses and achieve our net zero goal.
“Last but not least, we gave the industry millions of dollars to develop new nuclear technology and, together with Great British Nuclear advanced six companies to the next round in the SMR competition. This helped us achieve our goal of having the fastest competition on the planet.
This roadmap and the steps we have taken will ensure that the UK has one of the most diverse systems of energy in the world.