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The UK government must actively support nuclear new-build now to ensure reliable base-load generation in the future, trade union Prospect has warned.
Prospect deputy general secretary Garry Graham said the delay to Hinkley, although no surprise, shows action is needed to “support nuclear new build now”, as many existing nuclear and coal plants reach the end of their operational life.
The government must act urgently to enable a final investment decision to be made on Hinkley, he said.
“The prevailing zeitgeist that the private sector will provide will only happen if the government gives investors confidence and clearly articulates what is needed,” Graham added.
The union has called for the government to realise the “significant contribution” coal and gas will continue to play in the foreseeable future, as well as backing investment in technologies such as carbon capture and storage and investing in infrastructure that supports generation from a variety of sources, including wind and solar.
Warwick Business School’s head of the global energy research network David Elmes, said that the news that Hinkley won’t start in 2023 “increases the debate for a realistic assessment of the UK’s future energy mix”.
“One wishes that the companies and other parties involved would have kept the costs and schedules of current new nuclear projects under control as nuclear offers energy with low emissions”, he said.
“But we also need to consider the increasing opportunities for the more efficient use of energy, and look at more distributed solutions for the supply and use of energy, which show a better track record of reducing their costs as their they grow their share in our energy mix.”
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