Cheap electricity from nuclear 'may come too late'
Published on : 16/04/2009
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electricity'>Cheap electricity from Britain's next generation of nuclear power plants may be too little too late, it has been claimed.
According to energy industry experts, the first new nuclear plant would not be operational until 2017 at the earliest – meaning that the new power stations will not be able to replace the generation capacity lost as legacy nuclear and coal facilities close down.
Craig Lowrey, head of energy markets at EIC, told the Times: "The UK is potentially in quite serious trouble."
"We are set to lose a quarter of our current generating capacity before [the first nuclear plant is comes online] and it is not clear how that gap is going to be filled," he added.
The announcement comes shortly after the government unveiled 11 possible locations for the country's new nuclear fleet – many of which are on existing nuclear sites.
Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband said that nuclear energy is part of Britain's low-carbon future.
