Decarbonisation review finds nuclear not the way even as reduction efforts slow

Government urged to ‘turbocharge’ investment in renewables and energy efficiency

The government has been urged to “turbocharge” investment in renewables and energy efficiency after a review found that nuclear power is not a viable option for decarbonising the UK’s electricity system.

The independent review, led by Professor Dieter Helm, found that nuclear power is too expensive, slow to build and produces radioactive waste that is difficult to dispose of. The review also found that the government’s target of reducing emissions by 68% by 2030 is “challenging but achievable” without nuclear power.

The government has said it will consider the review’s recommendations, but has not yet committed to abandoning its plans for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C. Environmental groups have welcomed the review’s findings, but have called on the government to go further and ban nuclear power altogether.

Key findings of the review

• Nuclear power is too expensive. The review found that the cost of building a new nuclear power station is around twice the cost of building a new renewable energy project.
• Nuclear power is slow to build. The review found that it takes around 10 years to build a new nuclear power station, compared to around 2 years for a new renewable energy project.
• Nuclear power produces radioactive waste. The review found that the UK has no long-term solution for the disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear power stations.

Recommendations of the review

• The government should abandon its plans for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C.
• The government should “turbocharge” investment in renewables and energy efficiency.
• The government should set a new target for reducing emissions of 75% by 2030.

Conclusion

The government’s decarbonisation review has found that nuclear power is not a viable option for the UK. The review has recommended that the government invest in renewables and energy efficiency instead. The government has said it will consider the review’s recommendations, but has not yet committed to abandoning its plans for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C.