Two days after news that it would not give the go-ahead for an experimental tidal energy project in Swansea, Wales, the UK government has announced it will be investing £200M in nuclear energy production.
The decision is a further indication that Prime Minister Theresa May’s government is side-lining the development of renewable technologies in favour of nuclear power.
Yesterday, as part of its nuclear regeneration programme, it was announced that a new £40M facility will be developed on Anglesey, Wales, in order to support the creation of advanced nuclear technologies. A further fusion project in Culham, Oxfordshire, is receiving an investment of £86M.
According to Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark: “This sector deal marks an important moment for the government and industry to work collectively to deliver the modern industrial strategy, drive clean growth and ensure civil nuclear remains and important part of the UK’s energy future.”
Counting the cost
But the cost of these new nuclear development has been questioned. Electricite de France SA will be receiving £92.50MW/h of power generated at its Hinkley plant – a third more than current market prices. Tidal Lagoon had quoted a similar price for its power but this was rejected on the grounds that it would cost more over time.
According to Doug Parr, Policy Director for Greenpeace UK: "Promises that costs of nuclear power will come down have historically been proved false over the past 50 years. Fortunately for the nuclear industry, the repeated broken promises have been met by a stream of new or impressionable UK politicians coming into power and offering to spend taxpayers’ money on bad investments. Unfortunately for the nuclear industry, most other developed nations have realised that nuclear power is being outcompeted by cheap renewables, and have given nuclear either no role at all, or only a bit part, in their future energy plans.”
Hinkley’s electricity will also be more expensive than wind farms, which suggests, as the Guardian mentioned this week, that cost is not the only factor up for consideration.