Nuclear
Nuclear
The UK nuclear market may be broken down into four segments:
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) civil sites
British Energy power generation
Ministry of Defence (MoD sites)
Nuclear propulsion (submarines)
From the power generation perspective
- The UK has 19 reactors generating up to one fifth of its electricity and all but one of these will be retired by 2023. The first of some 16 GWe of new-generation plants are expected to be on line about 2017.
- UK's first commercial nuclear power reactor began operating in 1956.
- It has full fuel cycle facilities including major reprocessing plants.
- Government commitment to the future of nuclear energy is firm due to energy security concerns as current reactors approach the end of operating lives, and due to the need to limit CO2 emissions.
UK electricity production is 398 billion kWh gross, from 83 GWe capacity. Net imports are about 8 TWh, from France. Annual final consumption is 343 TWh, or about 5660 kWh/person.
As recently as 2003 the UK government was very negative about the need for nuclear power, but this had changed by 2006. Then in mid 2009, the opening paragraphs in Britain's Road to 2010 strategy said:
Nuclear power is a proven technology which generates low carbon electricity. It is affordable, dependable, safe, and capable of increasing diversity of energy supply. It is therefore an essential part of any global solution to the related and serious challenges of climate change and energy security
To discuss further please contact:
Peter Tucker , Director peter.tucker@novoexec.com or Jon Hollier, Director jon.hollier@novoexec.com or call 01275 375588
