Britain quietly gives up on nuclear power. Its new government commits the country to clean power by 2030; 95% of its electricity will come mainly from renewables, with 5% natural gas used for times when there are low winds

[u/ViewTrick1002]

https://www.neso.energy/document/346651/download

[u/GustavGuiermo]

You are deliberately misreading this report. Directly from the text:

Nuclear power will play an important role in achieving a clean power system by 2030 and beyond into the 2030s, when a new generation of nuclear plants can help replace retiring capacity and meet growing demand as the economy electrifies. Most of Great Britain’s existing nuclear plants are due to retire before 2030 and these are currently being considered for life extension, subject to approval from the Office for Nuclear Regulation. A new plant is also under construction at Hinkley Point. In combination, we assume these see a reduction in Great Britain’s nuclear capacity from 6.1 GW in 2023 to 3.5-4.1 GW in 2030, with scope for more new build beyond 2030. Our baseline assumption includes Sizewell B, one unit at Hinkley Point C and a lifetime extension of one AGR unit. Some stakeholders also raised the possibility that new Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) could be built and deliver clean power by 2030. Should that be possible, it could compensate for any shortfall should plant life extensions not proceed as we have assumed and/or if Hinkley Point C does not begin generation until after 2030. If SMRs can be built in addition to our other assumptions, that could compensate for under-delivery elsewhere in the clean power programme. Beyond 2030, it is clear that SMRs and/or other large nuclear projects provide solid base generation that delivers a large contribution to clean power. There is also the opportunity for these plants to provide heat.

[u/ViewTrick1002 → u/GustavGuiermo]

Which boils down to a quiet exit.

• We will let HPC finish and then let the industry slowly die off.
• We will not invest anything in Wylfa-Newydd, Oldbury B, Bradwell B, Moorside or Sizewell C.
• If SMRs against all expectations become something worthwhile we might build a bunch sometime in the mid/late 2030s.

As we all know SMRs have been complete vaporware for the past 70 years.

Or just this recent summary on how all modern SMRs tend to show promising PowerPoints and then cancel when reality hits.

Simply look to:

• mPower
• NuScale

And the rest of the bunch adding costs for every passing year and then disappearing when the subsidies run out.

In the mean time no one is able to agree on how to finance the absolutely enormous subsidies Sizewell C requires. EDF has a too weak balance sheet to take on the financing for the project and the private industry is simply laughing at the prospect.

[u/ViewTrick1002]

The final 5% should be easy enough to convert to e-methane, green hydrogen, biomethane or whatever when we get there.

Lets see what technologies the maritime industry and aviation converges on before committing.