Enigin Update - Nuclear Future for UK but Energy Efficiency takes Focus
BRITAIN, along with many other nations, have been looking to nuclear energy for future power generation, but after the Fukushima accident energy efficiency is taking centre stage.
Last week Nick Clegg, the UK’s Deputy Prime Minister, raised concerns about a delay in future nuclear power plant development, telling reporters that new plants may not be built because of the rising costs associated with any new safety standards due to the Fukushima crisis.
UK Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker, said that energy efficiency is evermore taking the focus, with Bloomberg.com reporting the minister as stating yesterday that energy efficiency and related technologies will receive the greatest boost from the disaster at Fukushima.
Barker did say that the UK will allow work on the construction of new nuclear power plants to progress, but it is conducting a study of the Japanese disaster.
The country’s chief nuclear inspector, Mike Weightman, is studying the Fukushima accident to discover what lessons can be learnt and how it will impact on the UK’s plans.
Barker does not think that the ensuing report will hold up work: “We aren’t expecting any surprises and are equally determined to learn any lessons that are applicable in the UK. There’s no change to our timetable.
“But it will drive an even greater sense of the need to save energy to reduce dependency,” he said.
“We don’t see in the UK a need for any major departure from our strategy as a result of Fukushima.
“Safety remains our paramount concern but we see no reason today to divert from our published plans,” he concluded.
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Picture of Heysham Nuclear Power Stations (David Medcalf) / CC BY-SA 2.0
