25% nuclear power by 2050? That’s the promise of first a Conservative, and now a Labour government. The UK currently has five nuclear power stations (of which you can view the details here) with future closing dates already pencilled in, but now there are talks of extending the life of one, Sizewell B. Work on Sizewell C is still continuing. Where does this leave the ambitious Great British Nuclear, and is there anything ‘great’ about it? Read on to find out.
What is Great British Nuclear?
Great British Nuclear (GBN) is a flagship body tethered to Net Zero targets. The UK government has promised that by 2050, a quarter of Britain’s electricity will be generated by homegrown nuclear energy. This has the purpose of driving down energy prices, increasing energy security, and growing the economy. The ambitious target is to achieve 24 GW.
What are the GBN goals?
Much of the GBN practicalities are at a drawing-board stage. For instance, there are plans to design an advanced modular reactor (AMR), a high-temperature micro modular reactor, and the design and development of sovereign coated particle fuel capability. Funding is being poured into manufacturing more innovative types of nuclear fuel, as well as strategies to enrich uranium to higher levels. With so much at the hypothetical stage, the President of the Nuclear Institute has declared the plan “highly ambitious” yet “exciting”.
A Question (Mark) of Collaboration
A lack of clarity and collaboration between Great British Energy (GBE) and GBN has been consistently highlighted. When GBE was first announced during the 2023 King’s Speech, it made no mention of GBN, leaving authorities to question how on earth GB Energy and GB Nuclear intended to interact with each other. This is just the tip of the very unstable iceberg of uncertainties, with many questioning whether current industry is prepared. Describing nuclear power in the UK as “a series of successful failures”, industry analyst Keith Baker argues that there is still a lot of foundational work to be done before realistic plans can be constructed.
Spiralling Costs and Stalled Schedules
The UK’s Nuclear Roadmap calls for a vast increase in nuclear infrastructure. However, all nuclear power projects have been hampered by wild cost inaccuracies. For instance, the cost of the Hinkley Point C reactor have spiralled by a staggering 30% since work began in 2015, resulting in a 33 billion cost for a project that is now seven years overdue. Schedule delays and geopolitical hurdles have been blamed, but skills shortages are the biggest barrier. Put simply, not enough people understand the science to build the technology. This is not necessarily a moment for panic. Instead, it clearly identifies a need to which the nuclear industry can respond.
What Does the Future Look Like?
Within the sea of confusion, now is the time for clear leadership and decision-making. The government’s proposals are logical and plausible. However, to make GB nuclear a reality, it is imperative that the Labour government is tasked with addressing the nuclear skills gap. 80,000 skilled workers are needed, and supporting this is something that forward-thinking organisations could do well to invest in. The various innovations required to achieve the 25% target are also areas of dynamic possibility, with comfortable funding available for organisations who are able to assist.
Next Steps
At Sensonics, we recognise the central role that nuclear power plays in working towards a greener future. To learn more about how we can support you, please get in touch.
