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New power generation capacity equal to three-quarters of current capacity will be needed between now and 2025. It must and will be a low-carbon mix, with renewables will be over half of this new power capacity.
Of the remainder new nuclear without public subsidy is free to contribute, and today the Coalition is taking two regulatory steps to enable this.
The Government will not pursue a Severn tidal scheme at this time as there is currently not an economic or environmental case for the Severn Barrage. Instead we must focus on technologies that can create jobs at home and tackle climate change globally – such as offshore wind and carbon capture and storage.
What is being published?
Today DECC publishes the energy National Policy Statements (NPS), alongside two regulatory steps that must be taken to permit new nuclear stations to be built.
What new power generation is needed?
The NPS projects a need for 59GW of new capacity by 2025.
- Over half (33GW) will be from renewables, and 8 GW of non-renewable technology is already under construction.
- This leaves 18GW to come from new non-renewable capacity, and nuclear is free to contribute to this capacity – without public subsidy.
- The sites potentially suitable for nuclear by 2025 are identified as Bradwell; Hartlepool; Heysham; Hinkley Point; Oldbury; Sizewell; Sellafield; and Wylfa.
- Rejected from the list were Dungeness in Kent, Braystones and Kirksanton in Cumbria.
1 comment:
I am disappointed that Chris issued a written statement rather than making it in the House, where it would have been subject to questioning. However, Severn tidal schemes are "not to be pursued at this time", rather than abandoned altogether, and the statement reiterates that there is to be no public subsidy for nuclear power.
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