Released November 11, 2009 | GALWAY, IRELAND
en
Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.K. government has revealed plans to build 10 new nuclear power stations that will provide about 25% of the country's power by 2025. Of the 11 sites submitted by the nuclear industry, only the Dungeness site was turned down on the basis of environmental impact, coastal erosion and associated flood risk at the location. The 10 sites labelled as "potentially suitable" for new nuclear plants are: Bradwell, Braystones, Hartlepool, Heysham, Hinkley Point, Kirksanton, Oldbury, Sellafield, Sizewell and Wylfa. In addition, the government has also identified three alternative sites as being "worthy of further consideration." These are Druridge Bay in Northumberland, Kingsnorth in Kent, and Owston Ferry in South Yorkshire. However, these sites have serious drawbacks at present and will not be considered in the current round of proposed plants.
The sites were named in the government's draft Nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS), one of a series of statements regarding nuclear policy that was released yesterday. However, to get the plants built will require a radical overhaul of the current planning system. The government has come under fire over the slow and uneven planning system in place for energy projects. For instance, the Fullabrook 66-megawatt (MW) windfarm took more than three years to secure planning permission, while the Sizewell B nuclear unit took six years to secure planning consent, costing £30 million ($50 million).
The government has promised "faster and fairer planning decisions." As a result, decisions on proposals larger than 50 MW (100 MW for offshore windfarms) will be reduced from two years or more to one year.
"The threat of climate change means we need to make a transition from a system that relies heavily on high-carbon fossil fuels to a radically different system that includes nuclear, renewable and clean-coal power," said Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband. "Change is also needed for energy security. In a world where our North Sea reserves are declining, a more diverse low-carbon energy mix is a more secure energy mix, less vulnerable to fluctuations in the availability of any one fuel.
"The current planning system is a barrier to this shift. It serves neither the interests of energy security, the interests of the low-carbon transition, nor the interests of people living in areas where infrastructure may be built, for the planning process to take years to come to a decision. That is why we are undertaking fundamental reform of the planning system, which will result in a more efficient, transparent and accessible process."
Housing and Planning Minister John Healey commented: "Instead of major projects going through three, four, five separate applications, sometimes sequentially, there is now one single consent system, with one full expert and public examination. This includes new steps that require open public consultation before applications can even be submitted."
The government's nuclear plans have been welcomed by Horizon Nuclear Power (Gloucester, England), the new joint venture company from the U.K. subsidiaries of RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany) and E.ON AG (OTC:EONGY) (Dusseldorf, Germany). For additional information, see article from November 10, 2009 - E.ON and RWE Create New Nuclear Company.
Horizon Chief Operating Officer Alan Raymant said: "It's absolutely vital that the importance of new nuclear power stations is recognised in bringing investment and jobs to the U.K. and, most importantly, the role that it has to play in the battle against climate change. The government's NPS is an important step in the creation of a more streamlined planning regime, and we're delighted that our plans for Wylfa and Oldbury have been recognised as excellent sites for development.
"Major infrastructure projects like new nuclear power stations need full and proper local consultation, but this needs to take place against the backdrop of agreement on the national strategic need and urgency. We're looking forward to playing an active role in the consultation process, which we hope will lead to designated policy statements in the spring."
View Plant Profile - 1078215 1089151 1082364 1078441 1084369
View Project Report - 78000534
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy related markets. For more than 26 years, Industrial Info has provided plant and project opportunity databases, market forecasts, high resolution maps, and daily industry news.
The sites were named in the government's draft Nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS), one of a series of statements regarding nuclear policy that was released yesterday. However, to get the plants built will require a radical overhaul of the current planning system. The government has come under fire over the slow and uneven planning system in place for energy projects. For instance, the Fullabrook 66-megawatt (MW) windfarm took more than three years to secure planning permission, while the Sizewell B nuclear unit took six years to secure planning consent, costing £30 million ($50 million).
The government has promised "faster and fairer planning decisions." As a result, decisions on proposals larger than 50 MW (100 MW for offshore windfarms) will be reduced from two years or more to one year.
"The threat of climate change means we need to make a transition from a system that relies heavily on high-carbon fossil fuels to a radically different system that includes nuclear, renewable and clean-coal power," said Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband. "Change is also needed for energy security. In a world where our North Sea reserves are declining, a more diverse low-carbon energy mix is a more secure energy mix, less vulnerable to fluctuations in the availability of any one fuel.
"The current planning system is a barrier to this shift. It serves neither the interests of energy security, the interests of the low-carbon transition, nor the interests of people living in areas where infrastructure may be built, for the planning process to take years to come to a decision. That is why we are undertaking fundamental reform of the planning system, which will result in a more efficient, transparent and accessible process."
Housing and Planning Minister John Healey commented: "Instead of major projects going through three, four, five separate applications, sometimes sequentially, there is now one single consent system, with one full expert and public examination. This includes new steps that require open public consultation before applications can even be submitted."
The government's nuclear plans have been welcomed by Horizon Nuclear Power (Gloucester, England), the new joint venture company from the U.K. subsidiaries of RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany) and E.ON AG (OTC:EONGY) (Dusseldorf, Germany). For additional information, see article from November 10, 2009 - E.ON and RWE Create New Nuclear Company.
Horizon Chief Operating Officer Alan Raymant said: "It's absolutely vital that the importance of new nuclear power stations is recognised in bringing investment and jobs to the U.K. and, most importantly, the role that it has to play in the battle against climate change. The government's NPS is an important step in the creation of a more streamlined planning regime, and we're delighted that our plans for Wylfa and Oldbury have been recognised as excellent sites for development.
"Major infrastructure projects like new nuclear power stations need full and proper local consultation, but this needs to take place against the backdrop of agreement on the national strategic need and urgency. We're looking forward to playing an active role in the consultation process, which we hope will lead to designated policy statements in the spring."
View Plant Profile - 1078215 1089151 1082364 1078441 1084369
View Project Report - 78000534
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy related markets. For more than 26 years, Industrial Info has provided plant and project opportunity databases, market forecasts, high resolution maps, and daily industry news.
