Two Soylentils wrote in with information about plans for a new nuclear reactor in the UK.
After years of delays, approval is likely imminent for what would become the UK's first new nuclear power plant in decades:
Energy giant EDF will make its long-awaited final investment decision on the planned nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, ending doubts over the £18bn project. The French firm's board meets in Paris on Thursday and is expected to give the go-ahead for the first nuclear power station to be built in the UK for a generation. UK unions have said they would warmly welcome such a decision, much-delayed, saying workers were "raring to go" – with 25,000 jobs set to be created.
Environmental groups including Greenpeace have criticised any go-ahead, calling for investment in homegrown renewable energy like offshore wind. Fresh criticism is also expected over the government's promise to pay EDF £92.50 for each megawatt hour of energy it generates.
Hinkley Point C (HPC) would provide 7% of the UK's electricity over its estimated lifetime of 60 years and is scheduled to begin generating power in 2025, several years later than planned.
Also at The Conversation.
The BBC reports that
Plans to build the first new UK nuclear plant in 20 years have suffered an unexpected delay after the government postponed a final decision until the early autumn.
French firm EDF, which is financing most of the £18bn Hinkley Point project in Somerset, approved the funding at a board meeting.
Contracts were to be signed on Friday.
But Business Secretary Greg Clark has said the government will "consider carefully" before backing it.
The proposed Hinkley Point nuclear power plant in Somerset County in southwestern England. According to an Eagle Radio report,
The Government has said it will not make a final decision on whether to build a new nuclear power plant in Somerset until Autumn [...]
(Score: 2) by turgid on Friday July 29 2016, @01:41PM
To our governments, the Market is sacred. They will not invest in anything like this at all, even if it is vital to the country's long-term energy supply infrastructure. Foreign state-owned companies can take the risk and the public can pay for it over the coming decades.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].