Boris Johnson is predicted to announce as much as seven information nuclear energy stations as a part of new plans to cut back the UK’s dependence on Russian gas costs.
Enterprise Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng mentioned six or seven new websites could possibly be constructed by 2050, with works beginning within the subsequent few years.
They're more likely to exchange present stations moderately than add to them, however every shall be significantly extra highly effective, ramping up Britain’s complete vitality capability.
Simply over 15% of the nation’s electrical energy is at the moment produced by Britain’s eight nuclear crops, whereas round 40% is generated utilizing pure gasoline, which can be used to warmth most houses.
One-tenth is imported through the grid from Europe, and the remaining comes from different renewable sources comparable to wind.
Solely a small portion (underneath 4%) of this gasoline is imported from Russia, with 8% of the UK’s oil shipped in from the nation.
However round 10% of Britain’s electrical energy is imported through the grid, primarily from the EU, which will get round 40% of its gasoline and 1 / 4 of its oil from Russian exporters.
Many vitality suppliers working within the UK are additionally weak to revenue margins in Europe.
Consequently, petrol costs and utility payments rely closely on vitality costs in Europe, exacerbating the influence of sanctions on Russia and Vladimir Putin’s retaliatory measures.
The enterprise secertary beforehand introduced plans to section out Russian oil by the top of 2022, however officers have had a more durable time determining the best way to cut back Britain’s reliance on Russian gasoline.
A full new vitality safety technique is predicted to be unveiled on Thursday.
Forward of the briefing, Mr Kwarteng instructed The Sunday Telegraph: ‘There's a realisation throughout authorities that we may do extra on nuclear.
‘With vitality, you’re considering perhaps 30, even 40 years [ahead]. If we quick ahead to 2050, there's a world the place now we have six or seven websites within the UK.
‘That isn’t going to occur within the subsequent two years, nevertheless it’s positively one thing that we will aspire to.
“The Prime Minister mentioned, when it comes to the vitality era combine, we may see perhaps 1 / 4 of that being nuclear.
‘I’d say 15 to 25 per cent. However clearly within the first three years you’re not going to immediately have six new nuclear stations in three years. It’s bodily not possible to do this.’
It’s thought officers are assured two of the brand new stations will be constructed within the subsequent decade.
Increased nuclear energy capability would additionally cut back the carbon footprint of Britain’s electrical energy utilization, which fell by round 1 / 4 from 2016 to 2020 however has since stalled.
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