| The way in which nuclear power has developed in the United Kingdom and a summary of the present situation, which sees the Magnox fleet of reactors being shutdown and decommissioned, is presented. Proposed ‘new build’ in the UK will most likely choose from internationally available, standardised systems which are already being built or considered elsewhere. From such, we can expect reliable operation over 60 years at 90% capacity factor and to generate baseload, carbonfree electricity reliably. The generation gap, resulting partly from the closure of older nuclear stations, will open up significantly over the next ten years, even if new build were to be started now. In order to secure a reliable and balanced mix in the medium term, decisions to progress new nuclear build must be made soon. In that way, it is possible that three or four new units could actually be supplying power to the grid by 2020. However, work on pre-licensing of established international designs should begin as soon as possible. This will help to maintain key skills and will cut the lead-time for delivery of any new nuclear plant without, in any way, implying a commitment to build. The current lack of a formal waste policy should not be seen as an obstacle to new nuclear build. There is a process in place to deliver such a policy and the solution will be the same irrespective of whether or not new build takes place. |
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