The UK plans to increase the total capacity of nuclear power plants in the country to 24 Gigavatts by 2050. This was reported in the Ministry of Energy Security and Carbon neutrality of Great Britain.
Thus, the total capacity of nuclear power plants in the UK will increase four times compared to the current level, and 25 percent of its needs in electricity will be satisfied due to nuclear power plants.
“Roadmap”, which the British government calls the “largest over the past 70 years” a plan for expanding in the field of nuclear energy, includes not only the construction of large nuclear power plants, but also the development of technologies of small modular reactors.
The government intends to make investment decisions on atomic energy power from 3 to 7 Gigavatts every 5 years from 2030 to 2044. It is expected that this increase in capacities over 20 years will provide 80 thousand additional jobs in the country.
Commenting the “road map”, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that nuclear energy is “ideal antidote” from the energy problems that the UK is faced with.
“Nuclear energy is environmentally friendly, cheaper in the long run and will ensure the energy security of Great Britain. I believe this” road map “is a proper long-term decision and is important to achieve our goal of zero emissions in 2050,” the head of government said.
Sunak added that this plan will create additional employment in the UK and give the skills necessary for the development of the economy.
Minister of Energy Security and Carbon neutrality of Great Britain Claire Coutinho said that having strengthened security in the field of energy supply, London would get rid of the dependence of supplies from the Russian Federation.
The minister attracted attention to the fact that nuclear energy is one of the “most reliable and low -carbon” energy sources.
“We have been making the largest investments in domestic nuclear energy over the past 70 years. Our plan worth 300 million pounds for sterling for the production of modern nuclear fuel in the UK will ensure the supply of nuclear power plants within the country and abroad, which will even weaken the Kremlin control on world energy energy markets, ”the head of the department added.