Nuclear power in the United Kingdom generated 16.1% of the country'selectricity in 2020.[1] As of December 2025[update], the UK has nine operationalnuclear reactors at four locations (eightadvanced gas-cooled reactors (AGR) and onepressurised water reactor (PWR)), producing 5.9 GWe.[2]It also hasnuclear reprocessing plants atSellafield and the Tails Management Facility (TMF) operated byUrenco inCapenhurst.
The United Kingdom established the world's first civil nuclear programme,[3] opening a nuclear power station,Calder Hall atWindscale, England, in 1956. The British installed base of nuclear reactors used to be dominated by domestically developedMagnox and their successor AGR reactors with graphite moderator andCO2 coolant but the last of those are nearing the end of their useful life and will be replaced with "international" PWR designs. At the peak in 1997, 26% of the nation's electricity was generated fromnuclear power. Since then several reactors have closed and by 2012 the share had declined to 19%.[4] The older AGR reactors have been life-extended,[5][6] but they are now towards the end of their life.
In October 2010, theCameron–Clegg coalition took forward the previous Labour government's plans[7] for private suppliers to construct up to eight new nuclear power plants.[8] TheScottish Government, with the backing of theScottish Parliament, has stated that no new nuclear power stations will be constructed inScotland.[9][10]E.ON UK,RWE npower andHorizon Nuclear Power have been pulling out of their initial plans for developing new nuclear power plants, placing the future of nuclear power in the UK in some doubt. Despite this,EDF Energy is still planning to build four new reactors at two sites, with construction ongoing atHinkley Point inSomerset.[11][12] In light of the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the government ofBoris Johnson announced a renewed commitment to nuclear power in order to increaseenergy independence, as Britain has long relied on imported Russian oil. TheEPR and potentially other PWR designs would be used, as well as yet-to-be-developedsmall modular reactors, in a push towards anddecarbonisation while replacing the ageing AGR reactors andphasing out gas and coal for electricity generation. While there is ade factonuclear power phaseout underway in Scotland and there are plans to replace existing reactors with newly built ones in England and Wales (sometimes using existing sites for the new reactors), no nuclear power plant has ever been built inNorthern Ireland.
EDF Energy owns and manages the five currently operating and three de-fuelling reactor sites.[13] Four new plants are proposed to be built in the next few decades. All nuclear installations in the UK are overseen by theOffice for Nuclear Regulation.
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TheUnited Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) was established in 1954 as a statutory corporation to oversee and pioneer the development of nuclear energy within the United Kingdom.[14]
The first station to be connected to the grid, on 27 August 1956, wasCalder Hall, although the production ofweapons-gradeplutonium was the main reason behind thispower station. Calder Hall was the world's first nuclear power station to deliver electricity in commercial quantities[15] (although the 5 MW "semi-experimental" reactor atObninsk in theSoviet Union was connected to the public supply in 1954).[16]
In February 1966, it was announced that the first prototypefast breeder reactor in the United Kingdom would be constructed inDounreay, Scotland, at a cost of £30 million.[17]
British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) was established in February 1971 from the demerger of the production division of theUK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).[18] In 1984 BNFL became apublic limited company, British Nuclear Fuels plc, wholly owned by the UK government.
In December 1979, in the wake of the industrial disputes of theWinter of Discontent and the1979 oil crisis, the newThatcher government announced a new long-term nuclear power programme. The existing stateNational Nuclear Corporation would complete its existing planned second generationAGR builds, and would develop a new programme of building oneWestinghouse designedpressurised water reactor (PWR) per year for at least a decade from 1982 (about 15 GWe in total). However, in 1981 theSelect Committee on Energy and theMonopolies and Mergers Commission produced reports criticising theCEGB and government's demand forecasting and investment assessment justifying the programme. From 1982, afterNigel Lawson replacedDavid Howell asSecretary of State for Energy, the government began rowing back from this large proposal, in part because the government were beginning to consider privatising the electricity industry.[19] TheElectricity Act 1989 provided for the privatisation of the electricity industry, introducing theFossil Fuel Levy to support the nuclear power industry which was exempted from privatisation and vested inNuclear Electric.[19]
In the end, only theSizewell B nuclear power plant from the PWR programme was built, between 1987 and 1995. It began producing power for the national grid in February 1995.[20] Its construction followed a four-year, 16 million-word public inquiry.[20] As of 2019, it is the most recent nuclear plant to be constructed in the United Kingdom.[20] Sizewell B was intended to be the first of a smaller series of four new identical power stations, but the rest were dropped as uneconomic in the early 1990s when it was decided to privatise the electric power industry so lowinterest rate government finance would no longer be available.[21]
AThermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) was opened atSellafield in 1994.[22] Construction had begun in the 1970s and cost £2.4 billion.[22]
In 1996, the UK's eight most advanced nuclear plants, seven AGR and one PWR, were privatised asBritish Energy, raising £2.1 billion.[23] The remaining Magnox reactors remained in public ownership asMagnox Electric. On 30 January 1998, Magnox Electric was merged into BNFL as BNFL Magnox Generation.
Margaret Beckett asSecretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs rejected demands for an expansion of nuclear power from a lobby including energy ministerBrian Wilson and Downing Street staff. She argued there was no need for new nuclear for at least 15 years given current energy prices and generation capacity.[24][25][26]
In relation to nuclear power, the conclusion of the Government's 2002 energy review[27] was that:
The immediate priorities of energy policy are likely to be most cost-effectively served by promotingenergy efficiency and expanding the role ofrenewables. However, the options of new investment in nuclear power and in clean coal (throughcarbon sequestration) need to be kept open, and practical measures taken to do this.
The practical measures identified were: continuing to participate in international research; ensuring that the nuclear skill-base is maintained, and that the regulators are adequately staffed to assess any new investment proposals; shortening the lead-time to commissioning, should new nuclear power be chosen in future; permitting nuclear power to benefit from the development of carbon taxes and similar market mechanisms; and addressing the problems of long-term nuclear waste disposal. It went on to state that "Because nuclear is amature technology within a well-established global industry, there is no current case for further government support" and that "the decision whether to bring forward proposals for new nuclear build is a matter for the private sector".
The Government's Energy White Paper, published in 2003 and titled "Our Energy Future – Creating a Low Carbon Economy"[28] concluded that:
Nuclear power is currently an important source of carbon-free electricity. However, its current economics make it an unattractive option for new, carbon-free generating capacity and there are also important issues ofnuclear waste to be resolved. These issues include our legacy waste and continued waste arising from other sources. This white paper does not contain specific proposals for building new nuclear power stations. However we do not rule out the possibility that at some point in the future new nuclear build might be necessary if we are to meet our carbon targets.
In April 2005, advisers toPrime MinisterTony Blair were suggesting that constructing new nuclear power stations would be the best way to meet the country's targets on reducing emissions of gases responsible forglobal warming. Theenergy policy of the United Kingdom has a near-term target of cutting emissions below 1997 levels by 20%, and a more ambitious target of an 80% cut by 2050. In November 2005, the Government announced an energy review,[29] subsequently launched in January 2006, to "review the UK's progress against the medium and long-term Energy White Paper goals and the options for further steps to achieve them".[citation needed]
Following the 2006 review theOffice for Nuclear Regulation, an agency ofHealth and Safety Executive, developed the Generic Design Assessment process (GDA) to assess new nuclear reactor designs ahead of site-specific proposals.[30] The GDA started assessing four designs: WestinghouseAP1000; ArevaEPR; AECLACR-1000; and GE-HitachiESBWR. However the ACR-1000 and ESBWR were subsequently withdrawn from the assessment for commercial reasons,[31][32] leaving the EPR and AP1000 as contenders for new nuclear builds.[33][34]
On 15 February 2007, environmental groupGreenpeace won aHigh Court ruling that threw out the government's 2006 Energy Review.Justice Sullivan presiding held that the government's review was "seriously flawed", in particular in that key details of the economics of the argument were only published after the review was completed.[35][36] Justice Sullivan held that the review's wording on nuclear waste disposal was "not merely inadequate but also misleading", and held the decision to proceed to be "unlawful".[37]
Responding to the news, Trade and Industry SecretaryAlistair Darling said that there would be a fresh consultation, but that a decision was required before the end of 2007. He stated that the government remains convinced that new nuclear power plants are needed to helpcombat climate change and over-reliance on importedoil andgas.[38] Attention was drawn in the media to numerous connections to nuclear industry lobbyists within the Labour Party.[39]
The 2007 Energy White Paper:Meeting the Energy Challenge[40] was published on 23 May 2007. It contained a "preliminary view ... that it is in the public interest to give the private sector the option of investing in new nuclear power stations". Alongside the White Paper the Government published a consultation document,The Future of Nuclear Power,[41] together with a number of supporting documents.[42] One of these, a report by Jackson Consulting, suggested that it would be preferable to site new power stations on existing nuclear power stations sites that are owned by theNuclear Decommissioning Authority orBritish Energy.[43] Greenpeace responded to the release of the consultation document by repeating its position that replacing the nuclear fleet rather than decommissioning would only reduce the UK's total carbon emissions by four per cent.[44]
On 7 September 2007, several anti-nuclear groups, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, CND, and the WWF, announced that they had pulled out of the consultation process.[45] They stated that it appeared as if the Government had already made up its mind regarding the future of nuclear power. The business and enterprise secretary, John Hutton, responded in a Radio 4 interview "It is not the government that has got a closed view on these issues, I think it is organisations like Greenpeace that have got a closed mind. There is only one outcome that Greenpeace and other organisations want from this consultation."
In January 2008, theUK government gave the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear power stations to be built. TheScottish Government has made clear that it opposes new nuclear power stations being built in Scotland and has the final say on planning matters in Scotland.[46] Liberal Democrat spokesmanSteve Webb MP said on 29 January 2008 "There is a real risk that focusing on new nuclear plants will undermine attempts to find a cleaner, greener, more sustainable and secure solution. We should be concentrating our efforts on renewables and greater energy conservation."[47] On 10 January 2008,Alan Duncan MP issued a response to the Government's announcement on nuclear power, welcoming it and suggesting that the Conservatives supported a level economic playing field for different types of energy generation rather than a preference for one over another.[48]
Two consortia (EDF-Centrica andRWE-E.ON) had announced outline plans to build a total of 12.5 GW of new nuclear capacity, slightly more than the total capacity of British Energy's currently operating plants.
In 2009, government officials believed acarbon price floor would be needed to encourage companies to commit funds to nuclear build projects.[49]
In 2009,Électricité de France (EDF), the state-owned French energy company, took overBritish Energy, paying £12.5 billion.[50] In August 2009, the energy companyCentrica purchased a 20% share from EDF.[51] A subsidiary of EDF was formed calledEDF Energy.
In November 2009, the Government identified ten nuclear sites which could accommodate future reactors:Bradwell in Essex;Braystones in Cumbria;Kirksanton in Cumbria;Sellafield in Cumbria;Hartlepool in County Durham;Heysham in Lancashire;Hinkley Point in Somerset;Oldbury in Gloucestershire;Sizewell in Suffolk; andWylfa in North Wales.[52] Most of these sites already have a nuclear power station; the only new sites are Braystones and Kirksanton.
In October 2010, sites at Braystones, Kirksanton and Dungeness were ruled out bySecretary of State for Energy and Climate ChangeChris Huhne with the former government's list of eleven potential sites reduced to eight.[53]
In 2010, theNuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre was created inRotherham, South Yorkshire, led by theUniversity of Sheffield withRolls-Royce, anticipating involvement in any forthcoming new nuclear builds in the UK. It was funded with £15 million from theDepartment for Business, Innovation and Skills and £10 million from the regional development agencyYorkshire Forward.[54][55]
Following the 2011Fukushima I nuclear accidents,Chris Huhne,Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, wrote to Dr Mike Weightman, head of theHSE's Nuclear Directorate, on 12 March, asking for a report "on the implications of the situation and the lessons to be learned for the UK nuclear industry".[56] The report was to be delivered within six months, with an interim report by mid-May, "prepared in close cooperation with the International nuclear community and other nuclear safety regulators".[56] On 15 March, Huhne expressed regret that some European politicians were "rushing to judgement" before assessments had been carried out, and said that it was too early to determine whether the willingness of the private sector to invest in new nuclear plants would be affected.[57][58] In the wake of the accident the Government was criticised for having colluded with EDF Energy, Areva and Westinghouse in order to manage communications and maintain public support for nuclear power.[59]
In January 2012, the campaign groupEnergy Fair, supported by a number of other organisations and environmentalists,[60] filed a formal complaint with theEuropean Commission over alleged unlawful State aid in the form of subsidies for nuclear power industry, in breach ofEuropean Union competition law.[60][61] It claims that the subsidies arise from underwriting commercial risk and decommissioning costs, protection against terrorist attacks, the disposal of nuclear waste, and by providing "institutional support" in the form of various government funded or subsidised bodies such as theNational Nuclear Laboratory, theNuclear Institute, andNuclear Decommissioning Authority without providing corresponding levels of support for renewable technologies,[62] without which nuclear power would not be commercially viable, so distorting the energy market.[60][62] The group claims that the subsidies divert resources from renewable technologies that would "cut emissions more deeply, more quickly, more cheaply, and with none of the risks and other problems with nuclear power".[citation needed]
In March 2012, two of the big six power companies announced they would be pulling out of developing new nuclear power plants. The decision byRWE npower andE.ON followed uncertainty over nuclear energy following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which had occurred the year before. Their decision followed a similar announcement byScottish and Southern Electricity the previous year.[63]Hitachi purchased theHorizon joint-venture, intending to build two or three 1,350 MWeAdvanced boiling water reactors (ABWR) atOldbury andWylfa.[64][65]
French-owned EDF, one of the two remaining consortia planning to build new nuclear plants in the UK, has indicated that the election victory ofFrançois Hollande will not change its plans in the UK,[66] despite François Hollande having proposed to cut France's reliance on nuclear power generation from 75% to 50%,[67] and despite speculation to the contrary in the UK.[68]
In 2012, Russian firmRosatom stated that in the future it intended to certify theVVER-1200 with the British and U.S. regulatory authorities, though was unlikely to apply for a British licence before 2015, after having seen what agreements EDF finally reaches.[69][70] In September 2013, Rosatom, in conjunction withFortum and Rolls-Royce, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK government to prepare for a VVERGeneric Design Assessment.[71][72]
In 2013,Tim Yeo, chairman of the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee, stated that the government reaching an agreement over nuclear power expansion was a "matter of great urgency", and warned that Britain could run out of energy if negotiations were not concluded quickly.[73]
In the same year, a cross-party committee inquiry concluded that the UK "will not be able to meet its climate change targets without new nuclear build". A report published by the committee found that unless planned nuclear power plants are built on time, it will be "extremely challenging, if not impossible" for the country to meet its legally binding carbon reduction targets. Such a failure to build the new nuclear capacity by 2025 would also force a greater reliance on imported gas, and would affectenergy security.[74]
On 26 March 2013, the government published a Nuclear Industrial Strategy which in part stated that the nuclear industry had plans for about 16 GWe of new nuclear power stations by 2030, which is at least 12 new nuclear reactors at five sites. A Nuclear Industry Council will be established, and a Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board will be created "to ensure that public R&D programmes are aligned to support industrial and energy policy". Public civil nuclear R&D funding for 2010–2011 was £66 million, which is low compared to some international competitors. The government will join the EuropeanJules Horowitz Reactor research project.[75]
In April 2013, EDF's negotiations with the government over the strike price for nuclear produced electricity stalled. EDF's chief executive stated EDF was "in no hurry" to agree the strike price, and was unconcerned if the negotiations failed. Commentators believed it would take several months to reach a conclusion.[76][77]
TheOffice for National Statistics assessed that in 2015 the UK nuclear industry directly employed about 12,400 staff, though about 9,400 of those worked atSellafield mostly on nuclear waste handling.[78][79]
| Element | £/MWh | Per cent of price |
|---|---|---|
| Construction risk premium | 35 | 38% |
| Other financing costs | 26 | 29% |
| Operation & maintenance costs | 19.5 | 21% |
| Capital cost | 11 | 12% |
| Total electricity price | 92.5 |
In 2016, EDF and the UK government finalised the £92.50/MWhcontract for difference (linked to inflation since 2012 – £128/MWh in 2022[81]) for the building of twoEPR reactors atHinkley Point C.[82][83]
Following the abandonment of three large new nuclear developments atMoorside in 2018, andWylfa Newydd andOldbury B in 2020, primarily because the developers were unable to attract finance for the developments,[84] the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill was introduced in the House of Commons in October 2021. It enabled theRegulated Asset Base (RAB) financing model to be used for new nuclear, whereby consumers finance a portion of the capital costs during the construction period rather than the developers, which will reduce thecost of loans and other financing.[85][86] Consumers would not receive a financial return from their contributions, but would benefit later by having access to the electricity provided by the plant.[84]
TheNuclear Energy (Financing) Act 2022 came into force on 31 March 2022.[87] The power and utilities executive atBarclays bank described the RAB model as providing "a high level of certainty and confidence and predictability for investors" and "structured to produce attractive, stable, low-risk and inflation-linked returns at scale".[88] A Government Support Package would be provided to give investors protection from specified low probability but high impact risks that the private sector would not be able to bear including the risk of cost overrun above a remote threshold, disruption to debt markets, some risks for which insurance is not available, and political risks.[86]
Rolls-Royce is preparing asmall modular reactor (SMR) design called theRolls-Royce SMR, a close-coupled four-loop PWR design. Power output is 470 MWe which is above the usual range considered to be a SMR.[89][90] It sought UK government finance to support further development.[91][92]
In December 2017, the UK government provided funding of up to £56 million over three years to support research and development into advanced and small nuclear reactors.[93]
In 2018, the UK SMR industry sought billions of pounds of government support to finance their putativeFirst of a Kind projects. The Expert Finance Working Group on Small Reactors produced a report stating that there was "a current market failure in supporting nuclear projects generally" and identifying options for government to support SMR development in the UK.[94][95]
The UK government, throughUKRI, awarded £18 million in ISCF funding to a UK-based consortium led by Rolls-Royce, with matched funding of £18 million from industry. This first phase was formally concluded on 30 June 2021 and successfully developed a concept design.[96] In November 2021, the UK government provided £210 million, match funded by industry, in the second phase of development for the Rolls-Royce SMR.[97]
In 2022, the UK government launched a £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund to support a limited number of nuclear projects to develop design and business cases to fast-track proposals to enter a selection process in 2023.[98] This included funding proposals for new reactor technologies to the UK such as the GE-HitachiBWRX-300boiling water reactor andX-energy Xe-100high-temperature gas-cooled reactor.[99][100]
In 2023, the UK government formedGreat British Nuclear to oversee its policy, operating throughBritish Nuclear Fuels Ltd in the Greater Manchester area, which includes a competitive choice of SMR suppliers for the UK.[101] GE-Hitachi'sBWRX-300 was announced in April 2023 as one of the competitors to the Rolls-Royce SMR.[102] However, the full remit of Great British Nuclear, which was announced by theBoris Johnson government in 2022, still needs to be decided by theRishi Sunak government including its budget and if eventually it will be a nuclear plant operator.[103]
In July 2023, Energy SecretaryGrant Shapps said he was launching an international competition to select up to four different SMR technologies "to go through to the final design stage", supported by up to £157 million of funding. He said the final investment decision will be taken by the next parliament, and UK SMRs might start operating by the 2030s.[104] Six technologies were selected for consideration, EDFNUWARD, GE HitachiBWRX-300, Holtec InternationalSMR-160+,NuScale Power,Rolls-Royce SMR and the WestinghouseAP300.[105][106] After the six companies have submitted their tender responses, Great British Nuclear will place between one and four co-funding contracts later in 2024 to support the development and regulatory approval process, to prepare bids for a final investment decision in 2029.[107] The cancellation for cost reasons in November 2023 of thefirst commercial SMR deployment in the U.S., using NuScale SMRs, has however cast doubt over whether SMRs in the UK would be economic.[108][109]
In January 2024, GE-Hitachi was awarded a grant of £33.6 million from the UK Government's Future Nuclear Enabling Fund. This grant was provided to support the company's plans to undergo the GDA process for its BWRX-300 SMR, which has a capacity of 300 MWe.[110]
In February 2025, four vendors were invited by the UK government to submit final tenders for their designs: GE Hitachi BWRX-300, Holtec SMR-300, Rolls-Royce SMR and Westinghouse AP300. All these are based on existing technologies, with the BWRX-300 and AP300 being scaled down versions of existing large designs. A final investment decision is expected in 2029.[111]
On 26 January 2017, the UK notified theEuropean Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) of its intention to withdraw, following on from its decision towithdraw from the European Union. Leaving will have wide-ranging implications for Britain's nuclear industry, including regulation and research, access to nuclear materials and impacts about twenty nuclear co-operation agreements with non-EU countries.[112][113] The UK withdrawal might raise the question of nuclear fuel availability after 2019 in the UK, and the need for the UK to enter into new treaties relating to the transportation of nuclear materials.[114]
In 2018, the National College for Nuclear opened two hubs atBridgwater and Taunton College andLakes College largely funded by £22.5 million from theDepartment for Education, intended to service the building and operation of new build nuclear power plants.[115] In November 2018, the UK ratified theGeneration IV International Forum (GIF) framework international collaboration agreement for research and development of Generation IV nuclear reactors.[116]
In 2019,Wood sold its nuclear business, mostly decommissioning work atSellafield, for £250 million to the USJacobs Engineering Group, which has a global nuclear business.[117]
In 2020, Energy Systems Catapult analysis suggested new 10 GW nuclear power in order to achievenet zero emissions by 2050.[118] In June 2020,Zion Lights, former spokesperson ofExtinction Rebellion UK, declared her support for nuclear energy as a critical part of theenergy mix along with renewable energy sources and called fellow environmentalists to accept that nuclear power is part of the "scientifically assessed solutions for addressing climate change".[119]
On 31 January 2020, the UK formally withdrew from the European Union (EU) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) following a national referendum and parliamentary approval. In response, the UK secured new nuclear cooperation agreements with Australia, the United States, Canada, and theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Additionally, the UK entered into a nuclear cooperation agreement with the EU in December 2020, effective from 1 January 2021.[110]
The UK's November 2020 Ten Point Plan designated "new and advanced nuclear power" as a priority, with the government committing to an investment decision for at least one major nuclear power station by the end of the parliamentary term in December 2024.[120] In February 2023, the Prime Minister's office announced the restructuring ofDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), resulting in the establishment of theDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) to support nuclear power expansion. By March 2023, nuclear energy had been classified as environmentally sustainable in the UK's green taxonomy, making it eligible for the same incentives as renewable energy. Additionally, the initiative 'Great British Nuclear' was set up with the goal of nuclear power contributing up to 25% of the UK's electricity by 2050.[121][110]
In 2020, nuclear power generated 46 terawatt hours (TWh) of UK electricity, just over 15% of gross electricity generation, and about half its 1998 peak of 91 TWh.[85]
In June 2021, EDF announced that Dungeness B would move into the defuelling phase with immediate effect, citing "station-specific risks within some key components, including parts within the fuel assemblies" identified since September 2018.[122]
As of 2021, the British government's attitude to the involvement of China in British nuclear power had changed following worsening ofChina–United Kingdom relations, and it was exploring ways to block Chinese involvement, finance and theirBradwell B new nuclear development.[123][124]
As part of the 2022 British energy security strategy policy paper, it was announced that nuclear-generating capacity would increase from 7 GW to 24 GW by 2050 and the establishment of a new nuclear development agency named Great British Nuclear.[125] Security concerns about China also caused the government to buyChina General Nuclear Power Group out of the proposedSizewell C nuclear power station development for just over £100 million in late 2022, leaving it co-owned by EDF and the UK government.[126]
On 7 January 2022, Hunterston B was closed and moved into defuelling earlier than planned due to cracks in the graphite bricks in the reactors.[127]
In 2023, the civil nuclear sector in the UK employed about 77,400 people, of which 9,500 were involved with the Hinkley Point C new build.[128] In March 2023, EDF announced that the operational life of Heysham 1 and Hartlepool power stations would be extended a further two years until March 2026.[129]
In September 2025, the government announced the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, which will permit fast-track new reactor design reviews by permitting the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the USNuclear Regulatory Commission to accept parts of each other's safety assessment, eliminating duplication, aiming to reduce ONR assessment time to about two years. Also a number of prospective small modular reactor developments were announced, including 12X-energy advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool.[130][131]
| Power station | Type | Net MWe | Gross MWe | Current operator | Construction started | Connected to grid | Commercial operation | Accounting closure date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartlepool | AGR | 1185 | 1310 | EDF Energy | 1968 | 1983 | 1989 | March 2028[132] |
| Heysham 1 | AGR | 1222 | 1250 | EDF Energy | 1970 | 1983 | 1989 | March 2028[132] |
| Heysham 2 | AGR | 1230 | 1360 | EDF Energy | 1980 | 1988 | 1989 | March 2030[133] |
| Torness | AGR | 1205 | 1364 | EDF Energy | 1980 | 1988 | 1988 | March 2030[133] |
| Sizewell B | PWR | 1195 | 1250 | EDF Energy | 1988 | 1995 | 1995 | 2035[134] |
Between 2006 and 2013,[135] Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B were restricted to about 70% of normal MWe output because of boiler-related problems requiring that they operate at reduced boiler temperatures.[136] In 2013, these two stations' power increased to about 80% of normal output following some plant modifications.[135]
In 2010, EDF announced a five-year life extension for both Heysham 1 and Hartlepool to enable further generation until 2024.[137] As of 2012, EDF expected seven-year life extensions on average across all AGRs, including the recently life-extended Heysham 1 and Hartlepool. A 20-year life extension is the strategic target for the Sizewell B PWR. These life extensions are subject to detailed review and approval, and are not included in the table above.[6][138] Hinkley Point B and Hunterston B were given seven-year life extensions in December 2012, from 2016 to 2023.[139]Hartlepool had a five-year life extension in November 2013, from 2019 to 2024.[140]
In November 2020, EDF announced that Hinkley Point B will stop generating electricity and move into the defuelling phase no later than 15 June 2022.[141][142]In December 2021, EDF announced that the closure dates for Heysham 2 and Torness were to be brought forward from 2030 to March 2028.[143]In March 2023, EDF announced that the closure dates for Heysham 1 and Hartlepool would be extended until March 2026.[129]
In March 2024, reports highlighted that EDF Energy expects to extend the operational life ofSizewell B by 20 years, aiming for a total lifespan of 60 years, comparable to similar US PWRs. This expectation is based on the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR)'s approval of Sizewell B's ten-year periodic safety review (PSR) in January 2015, which allows the reactor to continue operations until the next PSR in 2025.[110]
In December 2024, in response to concerns about energy security following further delays to Hinkley Point C, EDF announced life extension of two years for Heysham 2 and Torness, and one year for Heysham 1 and Hartlepool.[133] EDF also stated that they hoped to extend the life of Sizewell B by 20 years to 2055.[133]
| Power station | Type | Net MWe | Construction started | Connected to grid | Commercial operation | Closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | Magnox | 276 | 1957 | 1962 | 1962 | 1989 |
| Hunterston A | Magnox | 300 | 1957 | 1964 | 1964 | 1990 |
| Trawsfynydd | Magnox | 390 | 1959 | 1965 | 1965 | 1991 |
| Hinkley Point A | Magnox | 470 | 1957 | 1965 | 1965 | 2000 |
| Bradwell | Magnox | 246 | 1957 | 1962 | 1962 | 2002 |
| Calder Hall | Magnox | 200 | 1953 | 1956 | 1959 | 2003 |
| Chapelcross | Magnox | 240 | 1955 | 1959 | 1960 | 2004 |
| Dungeness A | Magnox | 450 | 1960 | 1965 | 1965 | 2006 |
| Sizewell A | Magnox | 420 | 1961 | 1966 | 1966 | 2006 |
| Oldbury | Magnox | 434 | 1962 | 1967 | 1968 | 2012 |
| Wylfa | Magnox | 980 | 1963 | 1971 | 1972 | 2015 |
| Dungeness B | AGR | 1040 | 1965 | 1983 | 1985 | 2021 |
| Hunterston B | AGR | 1288 | 1967 | 1976 | 1976 | 2022 |
| Hinkley Point B | AGR | 840 | 1967 | 1976 | 1976 | 2022 |
A number of research and development reactors also produced some power for the grid, including twoWinfrith reactors, twoDounreay fast reactors, and the prototypeWindscale Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor.[144]
The history of nuclear energy economics in the UK is complex. The firstMagnox reactors were not built for purely commercial purposes, and later reactors faced delays which inflated costs (culminating in Sizewell B taking seven years from start of construction to entering service, after a lengthy public inquiry). Costs have also been complicated by the lack of national strategy or policy for spent nuclear fuel, so that a mixed use of reprocessing and short-term storage have been employed, with little regard for long-term considerations (although a national repository has been proposed).
There is a lack of consensus in the UK about the cost/benefit nature of nuclear energy, as well as ideological influence (for instance, those favouring 'energy security' generally arguing pro, while those worried about the 'environmental impact' against). Because of this, and a lack of a consistent energy policy in the UK since the mid-1990s, no new reactors have been built since Sizewell B in 1995. Costs have been a major influence to this, while the long lead-time between proposal and operation (at ten years or more) has put off many investors, especially with long-term considerations such as energy market regulation and nuclear waste remaining unresolved. Sizewell B was in 1995 expected to generate electricity at 3.5p/kWh (2000 prices, which is equivalent to £74/MWh in 2023), however a post-startup evaluation estimated generating cost was about 6p/kWh (2000 prices, equivalent to £128/MWh in 2023), excluding first-of-kind costs and using an 8% discount rate for the cost of capital.[145][146]
From 2010 until 2015, it was UK Government policy that the construction of any new nuclear power stations in the UK would be led and financed by the private sector.[147] This transfers the running and immediate concerns to the operator, while reducing (although not eliminating) government participation and long-term involvement/liability (nuclear waste, as involving government policy, will likely remain a liability, even if only a limited one). In 2010,The Daily Telegraph reported that additional incentives, such as capacity payments and supplier nuclear obligations, would be needed to persuade companies to build nuclear plants in the UK.[148] The government decided to subsidise nuclear power again in 2015.[149]
When the rest of the UK generating industry wasprivatised, the Government introduced theNon-Fossil Fuel Obligation, initially as a means of supporting the nuclear generators, which remained under state ownership until the formation ofBritish Energy. British Energy, the private sector company that operated the UK's more modern nuclear plants, came close to bankruptcy and in 2004 was restructured with UK government investment of over £3 billion, although this has since been paid back in full. In January 2009, British Energy was bought for approximately £12 billion by EDF Energy (a subsidiary ofÉlectricité de France (EDF)) andCentrica (a major operator of CCGT power stations and renewable sources in the UK and parent company of British Gas) in an 80/20 split.
In January 2008, the UK government indicated that it would take steps to encourage private operators to build new nuclear power plants in the following years to meet projected energy needs. The government stated that there would be no subsidies for nuclear power. The Government hoped that the first station would be operational before 2020.[46] However, the Welsh Government remains opposed to new nuclear plants in Wales despite the approval of Wylfa as a potential site.Scotland has decided against new nuclear power stations.
In May 2008,The Times reported that Wulf Bernotat, chairman and chief executive of E.ON, had stated that the cost of each new nuclear power plant in the UK could be as high as €6 billion (£4.8 billion), much higher than the Government's estimate of £2.8 billion. The cost of replacing Britain's ten nuclear power stations could therefore reach £48 billion, excluding the cost ofdecommissioning ageing reactors or dealing withnuclear waste.[150]
On 29 March 2012, E.ON and RWE npower, which had formed the joint ventureHorizon to build NPPs in the United Kingdom, announced that they would not develop new nuclear power projects in the UK, focusing instead on shorter term investments, and were looking to find another company to take over Horizon.[151][152]On 29 October 2012 it was announced thatHitachi would buy Horizon for about £700 million. Hitachi intend to build two or three 1,350 MWeadvanced boiling water reactors (ABWR) atOldbury andWylfa, but will first require aGeneric Design Assessment for the ABWR design by theOffice for Nuclear Regulation, which will take about four years.[64][65]
In June 2012, in research commissioned by EDF, theInstitute for Public Policy Research suggested that building 18 GW of new nuclear energy capacity in the UK, with more than ten new reactors, could create between 16,250 and 21,250 additional jobs, and enable the UK to compete in the international market for nuclear energy.[153][154] TheInstitute of Directors also published a report stating that nuclear energy is a "clean, cheap and safe" way of generating electricity, with 84% of its members in favour of new nuclear power in Britain.[155] However,The Times reported the cost of building eachEPR had increased to £7 billion, whichCitigroup analysts did not regard as commercially viable, projecting a generation cost of 16.6p/kWh for private-sector financed reactors.[156]
On 21 October 2013, EDF Energy announced that an agreement had been reached regarding new nuclear plants to be built on the site of Hinkley Point C. EDF Group and the UK Government agreed on the key commercial terms of the investment contract. The final investment decision was still conditional on completion of the remaining key steps, including the agreement of the EU Commission.[157]
In 2015, the UK government proposed to provide large subsidies to the Hinkley Point C plant, paying twice the market rate for electricity.[149]
A 2015model-based study compared renewables plus storage, nuclear, andfossil fuels with and withoutcarbon capture and storage. The study found that, for the scenarios considered, costs were similar at about0.084 /kWh at up to 50% renewables and rose for renewables above an 80% share asgrid-scale storage, imports, andtidal range generation were applied.[158]
Rolls-Royce is preparing asmall modular reactor (SMR) design called theRolls-Royce SMR, a close-coupled four-loop PWR design. Power output is 440 MWe which is above the usual range considered to be a SMR. As of 2017, Rolls-Royce was seeking UK government finance to support further development.[89] In 2018, the UK government announced £56 million of spending to fund initial SMR research and development for eight companies.[159]
In 2017, a consensus of government and industry developed that the Contract for Difference financing model used for Hinkley Point C, involving fully private sector financing, may not used for subsequent nuclear plants, and discussions with government are under way about alternative finance mechanisms for the following possible development at Wylfa Newydd by Horizon Nuclear Power for parentHitachi.[160][161] However, on 17 January 2019, Horizon announced that it was suspending its UK nuclear development programme.[162] The UK government had been willing to take a one-third equity stake in the project, to consider providing all the required debt financing, and to provide aContract for Difference for the electricity generated at up to £75/MWh for 35 years.Greg Clark,minister for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, stated this was a "generous package of potential support that goes beyond what any government has been willing to consider in the past". However this did not provide an adequate "economic rationality as a private enterprise" for Hitachi to proceed.[163]
In April 2020, a director of Horizon Nuclear Power stated that the future of next two nuclear builds, Wylfa and Oldbury, depended on the government accepting theRegulated Asset Base (RAB) financial assistance model rather than the existingContract for Difference support mechanism, which would allow developers to need less upfront private finance with some finance backed through end consumer bills.[164]
On 2 June 2020, EDF Energy announced that it had submitted a development consent order to the UK government prior to starting construction on the Sizewell C site in Suffolk.[165] However EDF have yet to organise financing, and cannot take on more construction risk in the UK. EDF is looking to the UK government to assist on financing either by offering a Regulated Asset Base model, though that puts an immediate cost burden on end consumers, or through other approaches such as a government equity stake in the development.[166] On 30 June, EDF announced that it had applied to the Office for Nuclear Regulation for a licence to build and operate Sizewell C.[167]
On 24 September 2020, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson was asked about new technology in the UK's fight against climate change, he reaffirmed support for nuclear power in the UK, by saying to the BBC, "I do think nuclear has to be part of the mix", whilst also saying that the UK can be the "Saudi Arabia of wind power".[168]
Proposed nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom, with currently shelved proposals in italics, are:[169]
| Name | Location | Proposed output | Proposed builder | Proposed reactor type | start of construction | proposed start of generation | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradwell B | Essex | 2.2 GW | CGN andEDF | Hualong One | 2025 (proposed) | 2030 | [1] | Target commercial operation date about 2030[170] |
| Hinkley Point C | Somerset | 3.2 GW | EDF | EPR | 2018 | 2023 (now expected around 2030) | [2] | Construction began December 2018 |
| Moorside | Cumbria | 3-3.4 GW | NuGeneration | AP1000 | Cancelled | – | [3] | 8 November 2018 Toshiba announced withdrawal from the development[171] |
| Moorside clean energy hub | Cumbria | 3.2 GW | EDF | EPR | – | – | Proposed July 2020 | |
| Oldbury B | Gloucestershire | 2.7 GW | Horizon Nuclear Power | ABWR | Cancelled | [4] | Shelved in January 2019[172] | |
| Sizewell C | Suffolk | 3.2 GW | EDF andCGN | EPR | 2024 | [5] | Public consultation began in 2012[173] Granted development consent by the government in 2022[174]Construction began in 2024[175] | |
| Wylfa Newydd | Anglesey | 3.0 GW | Horizon Nuclear Power | ABWR | Cancelled | [6] | Shelved in January 2019.[172] | |
| Wylfa SMR | Angelsey | 1.5 GW | Rolls-Royce /GBE-N | SMR | Mid 2020s (proposed) | 2030s | [7] | Announced November 2025 |
| Total of active proposals | 7.9 GW | |||||||
Two other sites,Heysham andHartlepool, were identified as possible locations in 2010 but no commercial proposals were made for these sites.[176]
The project has completed its stage 4 consultation, which is allowing EDF to submit its planning application which is expected to be at the start of 2020, before a decision is made on the plant's future in 2020. After this, construction was expected to start around 2021, with an accelerated timeline due to the replication of the Hinkley Point C power plant on the site, but no progress had occurred by 2024.[citation needed] On 27 May 2020, EDF energy put in a development consent order application, prior to the start of construction at the site.[173]
The UK has a large variety of different intermediate- and high-level radioactive wastes, coming from national programmes to developnuclear weapons and nuclear power. It is a national responsibility to pay for the management of these. In addition, new nuclear power stations could be built, the waste management from which would be the private sector's financial responsibility, although all would be stored in a single facility.[177] Most of the UK's higher-activityradioactive waste is currently held in temporary storage atSellafield. As of 2019[update], the 60-years long nuclear programme produced 2,150 cubic metres (76,000 cu ft) equivalent to a cube 13 meters to a side ofhigh-level waste.[178]
The UK has approximately 70,000 tonnes of irradiatedgraphite, mainly as moderator in Magnox and AGR reactors. Most of its radioactivity will have decayed away 60–70 years after reactor closure, but itscarbon-14 content is a long-term radiological hazard which can be released in gaseous form making it a large volumeintermediate-level waste. Research on how to handle this waste is ongoing, which will lead to an informed decision on management.[179]
On 31 July 2006, the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), published its final report on long-term waste management.[180] Its main recommendation was thatgeological disposal should be adopted. This would involve burial of high-level waste at 200 to 1,000 metres (660 to 3,280 ft) deep in a purpose-built facility with no intention to retrieve the waste in the future. It was concluded that this could not be implemented for several decades, and that there were "social and ethical concerns within UK society about the disposal option that would need to be resolved as part of the implementation process". Such a repository should start to be closed as soon as practicable rather than being left open for future generations. Fourteen additional recommendations were also made.
On 12 June 2008, a white paper,Managing Radioactive Waste Safely, A Framework for Implementing Geological Disposal was published confirming CoRWM's conclusion of geologic disposal of higher-activity wastes. The policy announcement confirmed that there would be one geologic disposal site, for both national legacy waste as well as potential wastes from future programmes. It announced that a process of volunteerism would be used in selecting a suitable site and invited communities from the UK to express interest. They would be rewarded by the infrastructure investment for the facility, jobs for the long term and a tailored package of benefits.[177]
In January 2014, the building of the firstdry spent PWR nuclear fuel store in the UK began atSizewell B, where the existingspent fuel pool, which stores spent fuel under water, was expected to reach full capacity in 2015.[181] It is intended to enablespent nuclear fuel produced from 2016 until at least 2035 to be stored at Sizewell B until a deep geological repository is available.[182] In March 2017, the first cask containing spent nuclear fuel was installed.[183]
In 2023, UK Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), launched in January 2022, began studies to evaluate sites that could be suitable for ageological disposal facility in locally agreed community partnerships areas inAllerdale andCopeland in Cumbria near the Sellafield plant, and inTheddlethorpe in Lincolnshire. After any site is selected, it would take 10–15 years for further detailed investigative work.[184] In 2025, theHM Treasury'sNational Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority annual review graded the project, estimated to cost up to £54 billion, as "unachievable", stating it had "major issues with project definition, schedule, budget, quality and/or benefits delivery, which at this stage do not appear to be manageable or resolvable."[185]
TheNuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), formed in April 2005 under theEnergy Act 2004, oversees and manages the decommissioning and clean-up of the UK's olderMagnox power plants and the reprocessing facilities atSellafield, which were transferred to its ownership fromBNFL, and the former nuclear research and development facilities previously run by theUKAEA.
In August 2005, the following sites were listed for decommissioning:[186]
Prior to the 2002white paperManaging the Nuclear Legacy, the cost of decommissioning these[vague] facilities had been estimated at £42 billion.[187] The white paper estimated the costs at £48 billion at March 2002 prices, an increase of £6 billion, with the cost of decommissioningSellafield accounting for over 65% of the total.[188] This figure included a rise inBNFL's estimated decommissioning liabilities from £35 billion to £40.5 billion,[189] with an estimate of £7.4 billion for UKAEA.[188]
In June 2003, theDepartment of Trade and Industry estimated that decommissioning costs, including the cost of running the facilities still in operation for their remaining life, were approximately £56 billion at 2003 prices, although the figure was 'almost certainly' expected to rise.[190] This estimate was revised in subsequent years; to £57 billion in September 2004; £63 billion in September 2005; £65 billion in March 2006; and to £73 billion in March 2007.[191][192] Around £46 billion of the £73 billion is for the decommissioning and clean-up of the Sellafield site.[193]
In May 2008, a senior director at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) indicated that the figure of £73 billion might increase by several billion pounds.[194] In 2019, the cost was given as £129 billion.[195]
In addition to the NDA's costs,British Energy's liabilities in relation to spent nuclear fuels have risen. In February 2006, it was reported that these had increased to £5.3 billion, an increase of almost £1 billion.[196] The costs of handling these is to be met by theNuclear Liabilities Fund (NLF), the successor to theNuclear Generation Decommissioning Fund. Although British Energy contributes to the NLF, the fund is underwritten by the Government. TheHouse of CommonsPublic Accounts Committee noted in 2007 that British Energy may lack an incentive to reduce the eventual liabilities falling to the Nuclear Liabilities Fund.[197]
Until the expansion of nuclear power in the 1980s, seismic activity in the UK had not received a great deal of attention.[198] As a result of the new interest in the topic, in 1994 theBritish Geological Survey published a catalogue of earthquakes.[198]
Although earthquakes are relatively frequent, they rarely cause damage to well-constructed structures. Two of the largest, estimated at 5.75 (moderate) on theRichter scale occurred in 1382 and 1580.[198] Evaluation of past earthquakes indicates that the UK is unlikely to be subject to earthquakes larger than a magnitude of approximately 6.5.[199]
The occurrence oftsunamis impacting the UK is rare, with only two (possibly three) having been identified; a 3 m (9.8 ft) high wave as a result of the1755 Lisbon earthquake, and a 21 m (69 ft) high tsunami in 6100 BC which occurred under very different geological conditions (Storegga Slide). In recent years there has been an accumulation of evidence indicating that the1607 Bristol Channel floods may also have resulted from a tsunami that rose from a height of 4 m (13 ft) to over 6 m (20 ft) as it passed up the Bristol Channel.[200]
A 2005 report forDEFRA, conducted following the2004 Boxing Day tsunami, found that, discounting 'exotic events such asmeteorite impacts', 'in most plausible circumstances it is likely that such an event would be contained by current defences, designed to resist storm surges, for all major developed areas', however the joint occurrence of events, such as a tsunami coinciding with a storm surge, was discounted.[201] The report did, however call for additional more detailed modelling to be carried out, recommended that theMet Office should provide a tsunami warning service, and that detection devices should be upgraded. A follow-up report indicated that, of the three likely scenarios modelled, a Lisbon-type event would pose the greatest danger, potentially resulting in a tsunami wave exceeding the 1:100-year extreme sea level at the Cornish peninsula by up to 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in), but being within the range elsewhere.[202] This conclusion is markedly different from the greater heights calculated by Bryant and Haslett as having been encountered in the Bristol Channel during the 1607 Bristol Channel floods.[200]
Speaking before theEnergy and Climate Change Select Committee on 15 March 2011, about theFukushima I nuclear accidents, Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Huhne expressed concern over extreme weather events in the UK, but stated that 'we are lucky that we do not have to suffer from tsunamis'.[57]
| Date | Location | Description | INES level | Fatalities | Cost (in millions 2006 US$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 April 2005 | Sellafield | 20 tonnes of uranium and 160 kg (350 lb) plutoniumleak from a cracked pipe at theThorp nuclear fuel reprocessing plant into a secondary containment vessel[203][204] | 2[citation needed] 3[205] | 0 | 65 |
TheCivil Nuclear Constabulary is responsible for security at civil nuclear sites, within 5 km (3.1 miles) of site boundaries, and for nuclear materials in transit. The UK is involved in theNuclear Security Summit series of world summits held since 2010. During 2016 the UK and the US staged a training exercise simulating acyber-attack on a nuclear power station.[206]
In the early 1990s, concern was raised in the United Kingdom about the effect ofnuclear power plants on unborn children, when clusters ofleukaemia cases were discovered nearby to some of these plants. The effect was speculative because clusters were also found where no nuclear plants were present, and not all plants had clusters around them. Detailed studies carried out by theCommittee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) in 2003 found no evidence of raised childhood cancer around nuclear power plants, but did find an excess of leukaemia andnon-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) near other nuclear installations including Sellafield,AWEBurghfield and UKAEADounreay. COMARE's opinion is that "the excesses around Sellafield and Dounreay are unlikely to be due to chance, although there is not at present a convincing explanation for them".[207]
An opinion poll in Britain in 2002 by MORI on behalf of Greenpeace showed large support forwind power and a majority for putting an end to nuclear energy if the costs were the same.[208] In November 2005, aYouGov poll conducted by business advisory firmDeloitte found that 36% of the UK population supported the use of nuclear power, though 62% would support an energy policy that combines nuclear along with renewable technologies.[209] The same survey also revealed high public expectations for the future rate of renewables development – with 35% expecting the majority of electricity to come from renewables in only 15 years, which is more than double the government's expectation.
In the early 2000s, there was a heated discussion aboutnuclear waste,[210] leading to the creation of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (see above).
A large nationally representative 2010 British survey about energy issues found that public opinion is divided on the issue of nuclear power. The majority of people are concerned about nuclear power and public trust in the government and nuclear industry remains relatively low. The survey showed that there is a clear preference forrenewable energy sources over nuclear power.[211]
According to a national opinion poll, support for nuclear power in the UK dropped by 12 per cent following the 2011Fukushima nuclear disaster.[212] However, support recovered within a few months.[213][214]
In October 2011, more than 200 protesters blockaded the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station site. Members of several anti-nuclear groups that are part of the Stop New Nuclear alliance barred access to the site in protest at EDF Energy's plans to renew the site with two new reactors.[215]
In January 2012, three hundredanti-nuclear protesters took to the streets ofLlangefni, against plans to build a new nuclear power station at Wylfa. The march was organised by a number of organisations, including Pobl Atal Wylfa B, Greenpeace and Cymdeithas yr Iaith, which are supporting farmer Richard Jones who is in dispute with Horizon.[216]
In July 2012, a YouGov poll reported that 63% of UK respondents agreed that nuclear generation should be part of the country's energy mix, up from 61% in 2010. Opposition fell to 11%.[217]
In February 2013, a YouGov poll published in theSunday Times found that nuclear was the most popular choice to provide for Britain's future energy needs.[218][219][220]
In February 2013, a poll published byIpsos MORI which queried 1,046 British individuals determined that support for new nuclear generation capacity was at 42%, with the proportion opposed to new nuclear generation being reported as unchanged at 20%, close to the lowest recorded proportion, by the agency in 2010, of 19% opposed. The results also report that the proportion that was undecided or neutral had increased, and it stood at 38%.[221]
In 2013, a survey by Harris Interactive of more than 2,000 UK respondents found that 'one in four people (24%) considered nuclear power to offer the greatest potential' alongside solar (23%) and ahead of wind power (18%). Immediately following the announcement of the agreement between EDF and the UK government, 35% considered it to be a positive step, 21% felt it was a negative development and 28% were indifferent.[222]
TheGreen Party programme postulates that "nuclear power, coal and incineration of waste will be phased out" (EN014), although this position is debated within the party, as a significant group of members called for review of the policy, which they consider anti-scientific and "irrational" and consider introduction of zero-emission nuclear power, along with renewable energy sources, to be a critical instrument for mitigation of climate change.[223][224]
In a 2021 YouGov poll, 65% of those surveyed said nuclear power should play a role in the country's climate policy and 12% expressed strong anti-nuclear sentiment, while 46% were aware that nuclear power is a low-carbon energy source.[225]
Although theUK Government has given the go-ahead for a new generation of nuclear power stations to be built, theScottish Government has made clear that no new nuclear power stations will be built in Scotland and is aiming instead for a non-nuclear future. This was made clear in 2008, whenFirst MinisterAlex Salmond said there was 'no chance' of any new nuclear power stations being built in Scotland.[46] In 2008, the Scottish Government's stance was backed by theScottish Parliament that voted 63–58 to support the Scottish Government's policy of opposing new nuclear power stations.[226]
the country that built the first civil nuclear power station
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