Prime Minister Theresa May faces crunch talks over the future of a new nuclear power station on Thursday, as fresh faults reduce the amount of energy Britain’s ageing fleet of reactors can generate. The Japanese conglomerate behind plans to build a new reactor at the Wylfa nuclear site in Wales is expected to call on the Government to take a direct stake in the new plant, or risk the £27bn project falling through. The last-ditch talks between Hitachi chairman Hiroaki Nakanishi and the prime minister were scheduled for the same day that fresh cracks in one of the UK’s oldest nuclear plants underlined the need for new investment in low-carbon power. A string of power plants, including the faltering Hunterston nuclear plant, are set to close by 2025. Hitachi’s 2.9 gigawatt nuclear project could help to fill the gap created by the closures, but the group is not willing to take on the full risk burden without the backing of other private investors and government involvement. The conglomerate is planning to back away from the project entirely unless the UK agrees to help finance it or take a stake in the plant alongside investments from the Japanese government, according to local media reports. Number 10 has remained tight-lipped over its negotiations with Hitachi, and a spokesman declined to comment on the latest talks . Hannah Martin, of Greenpeace, said the “information blackout” is “unjustifiable” because of the high costs to be paid by energy users to support the projects. “The public have a right to know what the government is planning to do with their money and why,” she said. “Major Western economies are reducing their exposure to nuclear, so why is Britain doing the exact opposite? It would make no sense to waste yet more on expensive and outdated nuclear when technologies such as offshore wind can do the same job faster and cheaper,” Ms Martin added.
Telegraph 3rd May 2018 read more »
No 10 information blackout over PM’s nuclear talks is unjustifiable – Greenpeace. Downing Street has confirmed at a press briefing this morning that Theresa May is due to meet the CEO of Hitachi, Hiroaki Nakanishi, later today but No 10 is not planning to release any information about the talks. According to reports in the Japanese press, the Hitachi boss is in the UK to ask the May government to buy a multi-billion-pound stake in their proposed new nuclear reactor at Wylfa, Anglesey. Commenting on the lack of trasparency around today’s meeting and nuclear policy more generally, Greenpeace UK’s head of energy Hannah Martin said: “The information blackout about government nuclear policy is unjustifiable. Theresa May is due to meet an industry boss reportedly asking for a multi-billion-pound taxpayer-funded bailout for a tottering nuclear project no one wants to touch. The public have a right to know what the May government is planning to do with their money and why. Major western economies are reducing their exposure to nuclear, so why is Britain doing the exact opposite? It would make no sense to waste yet more billions on expensive and outdated nuclear when technologies like offshore wind can do the same job faster and cheaper.”
Greenpeace 3rd May 2018 read more »
Prof Stephen Thomas, Energy Policy, University of Greenwich. “Is Wylfa the new model for UK nuclear projects?”. Government needs something to demonstrate that Hinkley is the exception to the rule. Wylfa has 3 big advantages – support of the Japanese Government; Unlike Areva and Westinghouse Hitachi GE is not bankrupt and disgraced; and it is claimed that the ABWR is a proven technology. Project a little bit cheaper than Hinkley because its smaller. Loan guarantees will be essential, and will reduce interest payable to banks. Hitachi too small to own and operate a facility that is going to cost £25bn. And they don’t have the experience to operate it. ABWR actually quite an old reactor design. No other prospects for Hitachi to sell the ABWR. 4 reactors in Japan completed in 4 to 5 years, but that’s the same for other reactors in Japan. 2 uncompleted reactors in Japan; 2 reactors ordered for Taiwan but work suspended. Lifetime load factor of the 4 reactors has been very poor 47 – 71%. All have suffered long shutdowns. In 3 cases this was down to seismic issues. Two reactors had big turbine problems. Even if you take out those years when the reactors were shut performance was still poor. It’s a pre-Chernobyl; pre 9/11; pre-Fukushima design that we have a track record for.
Rik Garfit-Mottram 1st May 2018 read more »
The failings of the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) proposed for Wylfa Nuclear Power Station. Professor Steve Thomas, Emeritus Professor of Energy Policy University of Greenwich May 2018.
Greenpeace 3rd May 2018 read more »
Hitachi’s nuclear safety breaches and the case against public funding for the proposed Wylfa Nuclear Power Station.
Greenpeace 3rd May 2018 read more »
Hitachi Ltd. on Thursday requested British Prime Minister Theresa May provide support for the company’s nuclear power plant construction operations in Britain amid swelling costs for a project in Wales, according to sources familiar with the matter. Meeting with May at her office in London, Hitachi Chairman Hiroaki Nakanishi requested more support from the British government, including direct investment, the sources said. The Japanese maker of machinery and infrastructure systems had applied for a site license to build two advanced boiling water reactors on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, aiming to start operation from the first half of the 2020s. But the total cost of the project has ballooned to 3 trillion yen ($27.52 billion) due to increased costs for safety measures. Should talks between the parties prove difficult, Hitachi may withdraw from the project.
Mainichi 4th May 2018 read more »
John Busby on Emergency Core Cooling Systems.
After Oil 10th August 2017 read more »
