The UK government has recently published significant leaps towards the future of nuclear energy. Like Illinois, their stated intent is to reinvigorate deteriorating infrastructure and hundreds of thousands of gainful employment. The government has already made a historic deal with private investors. That’s what they’re proposing to build with Sizewell C in Suffolk. This is a £11 billion project. It signals an important first step towards rebuilding the country’s nuclear fleet, which has been in a state of decline since the 1990s.
In the UK, nuclear power made up around 25% of the countries electricity generation in the 1990s. This figure has reduced to roughly 15% today, with no new nuclear power stations constructed since that decade. Almost half of the UK’s aging nuclear reactors are due to close within the next decade. The Sizewell C project is supposed to be the silver bullet – delivering the UK improved energy security and new jobs.
The Sizewell C project will deliver 1,000s of high-skilled construction jobs. Perhaps most importantly, it plans to offer permanent job opportunities to support ongoing operations once the facility is established.
On top of this, the UK has joined 30 other countries in a global declaration to triple nuclear capacity by 2050. This commitment is truly commendable, reflective of an increasing realization of nuclear energy’s potential role in accomplishing energy independence and fighting climate change.
The US nuclear firm X-Energy and the UK’s energy company Centrica have put forward a daring plan. They propose constructing up to twelve of the new generation of advanced modular nuclear reactors in neighbouring Hartlepool. This bold undertaking would provide clean power to about 1.5 million homes, and it’d generate up to 2,500 jobs in the broader region.
The UK’s first small modular reactors (SMRs) will be constructed by Rolls Royce, marking an important milestone in modernizing the country’s nuclear capabilities. The deal’s value The underpinning nuclear program is valued at around £40 billion. Out of this, £12 billion will be solely invested in the northeast region of England.
In his first major speech since taking office, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer underscored just how essential these undertakings are. They’re central to his plan for the UK’s future energy system.
“We are building a golden age of nuclear.” – Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
The UK is betting big on a nuclear renaissance. This commitment is a hugely valuable use of the Federal government’s most powerful resource to create good jobs while securing our energy independence for generations to come.