The UK’s ageing nuclear reactors look likely to have their lives extended beyond the mid-2020s as the country looks to tackle a looming energy gap, energy minister Charles Hendry said. ”By the early 2020s [almost the] whole nuclear fleet will be closed down,” he said. “Some may get a lifetime extension – that is entirely possible.”
The news that Britain, which pioneered nuclear technology in the 1960s and 1970s, can no longer cost-effectively build its own nuclear stations will likely cause other nations looking to expand their nuclear power generation capacity to re-evaluate their financial benefit as well. Germany, while ridiculed by nations looking to boost their nuclear capacity, has been the unsung hero in Europe as France, a notoriously nuclear-reliant nation, has seen its aging nuclear fleet incapacitated by the winter weather and been forced to purchase energy from Germany to make up for the lack of power supply.
Last month France estimated prolonging the lifespan of it’s 58 reactors would cost up to €860m per reactor, compared to €5bn for building new, next-generation reactors. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said it will cost £50bn to build the UK’s new nuclear fleet. A spokeswoman for the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) told BusinessGreen plants would apply for an extension when they reach the end of their scheduled lifetime. But she added that ideally the government should not rely on extensions and should accelerate the construction of new plants instead.
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CaptD
February 22, 2012
This is just a preemptive move by the Pro Nuclear French Government to head off the closing of reactors by the next administration which will “SWEEP” the elections… French will follow Germany toward a nuclear free future, since the French people cannot afford a Trillion Dollar Eco-Disaster like Japan now has…
Look out France, those in controls are gambling with your future just like the Japanese Government did before 3/11…
They LOST!
CaptD
February 27, 2012
We are now are being ruled by those in Nuclear Denial*; instead of by Leaders that demand an end to the Trillion Dollar Eco-Disaster RISK that Nuclear poses to mankind!
How would the UK pay for a Fukushima
or
Deal with a 50 mile NO GO ZONE ?
Remember Nature does not follow design basis calculations or even engineering RISK formulas…
The nuclear industry is fighting tooth and nail to maintain it’s market share; yet NOW Solar (of all flavors) is far less costly to construct, faster to construct and carries with it N☢ Nuclear radioactive baggage that can kill a Countries economy and or those living nearby!
Ask The Japanese!
*Nuclear Denial
http://is.gd/XPjMd0
The illogical belief that Nature cannot destroy any land based nuclear reactor, any place anytime 24/7/365!
obewanspeaks
February 28, 2012
This was the entire scam form the beginning since they have always produced more energy than ever would be used by the unknowing consumers.
They understood by over charging for their energy product that they could take as much money as possible from the start. Electricity may be used but it is also recycled via the transmission lines back to the utilities and then resold.
When the state or host country and its citizens were then broke they would extend the life of all these plants and reap pure high end profits while potentially killing millions via the accidents caused by age inside these Nuclear Power plants.
The last part of this parasitic program was to have all these consumers and host countries pick up the insurance tab and costs for any losses from any Nuclear Accidents that might occur and or be created.
This parasitic Nuclear Industry has not done the world one favor in the process.
Most parasites only know how to take and take and then destroy and destroy.