Heysham named as designated site in government's future nuclear power strategy

Thursday, 7 April 2022 13:38

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Heysham nuclear power production could be extended after the site was named in a major new UK government energy strategy.

Heysham is one of eight designated nuclear sites named in the new 'British energy security strategy', which was revealed today.

The other sites are Hinkley, Sizewell, Hartlepool, Bradwell, Wylfa, Oldbury and Moorside.

Up to eight more nuclear reactors could be approved across these sites in the coming years, with the government now aiming to deliver the equivalent of one reactor per year, rather than one a decade.

The EDF-owned Heysham site could be chosen to house a new reactor.

Two of the new reactors will be built at Sizewell in Suffolk.

You can read the British energy security strategy here.

Heysham 1 is due to end nuclear energy production and go into a decommissioning phase in 2024, with Heysham 2 following in 2028.

David Morris, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said the strategy "ensures our new nuclear power station site in Heysham goes ahead.

"Great to see the Secretary of State Kwasi Kwarteng not only put the Government’s backing behind new nuclear power but reaffirm Heysham of one of eight sites where this will happen in the near future," said Mr Morris.

A spokesperson for EDF said: “Heysham is one of the best locations in the UK for the new generation of nuclear power stations.

"Not only does it have the right infrastructure, we have highly skilled professional people who have a long and proud history in generating electricity. And very importantly we also have a close relationship with our community which is vital for an industry such as ours.”

Under the government's new plans, up to 95% of the UK's electricity could come from low-carbon sources by 2030.

The strategy also includes policy on wind, hydrogen, solar, oil and gas, and heat pumps as sources of energy production.

Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, said: "Global energy costs have been rising for some time as demand soars and factories roar back into life after COVID-19; Putin’s invasion of Ukraine pushed them still higher and, ultimately, it is the consumer who ends up paying the price.

"If we’re going to get prices down and keep them there for the long term, we need a flow of energy that is affordable, clean and above all secure.

"We’re not going to try and turn back the clock to the days when we choked our streets and our atmosphere with filthy fumes and ever-rising levels of climate-imperilling carbon dioxide.

"Instead, we’re going to take advantage of Britain’s inexhaustible resources of wind and – yes – sunshine.

"We’re going to produce vastly more hydrogen, which is easy to store, ready to go whenever we need it, and is a low carbon super fuel of the future.

"We’re embracing the safe, clean, affordable new generation of nuclear reactors, taking the UK back to pre-eminence in a field where we once led the world.

"We’re making homes and businesses more efficient so you need to use less energy in the first place.

"We’re going to work with industry to slash our way through needless and repetitive red tape so that all this can happen much more quickly."

The Green Party's Twitter account said: "The Energy Security Statement should respond to the needs people have right now.

"Nuclear power is not the solution."