Nuclear power: ministers offer reactor deal until 2050
Source: Guardian
The government is launching a last-ditch attempt to sign up energy companies to build new nuclear power stations by proposing to sign contracts guaranteeing subsidies for up to 40 years.
The coalition agreement reached between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in 2010 promised that nuclear power stations would be built only if the industry got no public subsidy, but costly overruns for new reactors overseas and the exit of several major utilities from the UK programme, most recently Centrica, have driven ministers and officials to backtrack on that pledge and accept they will have to provide financial support.
The Guardian has learned that ministers, intent on keeping the guaranteed wholesale cost of each unit of energy below the politically crucial figure of £100 per megawatt hour, are proposing to extend contracts from the 20 years originally envisaged to at least 30 and possibly as long as 40 years.
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At the same time some MPs are concerned that the energy bill, which is being scrutinised by MPs, would allow future governments to give nuclear power stations more money if it was needed, without telling parliament.
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"This is Jesuitical Casuistry," said Paul Flynn, a Labour MP and long time anti-nuclear campaigner. "He (Davey) is saying there will be a subsidy. Perhaps an enormous subsidy. But you, parliament and the public, will not know what it is until it is too late to change."
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Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/18/nuclear-power-ministers-reactor
Nuclear energy isn't needed at all.
This boondoggle will set back efforts to stop global warming.
bananas
(27,509 posts)Government drawing up 'ludicrous' 40-year contracts to persuade power companies to go nuclear
The government is offering guaranteed subsidies for up to 40 years to electricity companies in a last-ditch effort to get them to build new nuclear power stations, it has been reported.
By Richard Alleyne 8:08AM GMT 19 Feb 2013
The Coalition had promised to only build new power plants without subsidy but the pledge has led to private firms pulling out as costs of reactors rocket.
Now it is claimed that the government is planning to guarantee contracts until 2050 with possible subsidies on top to maintain a minimum price paid for power.
The long term contracts are designed to share the initial costs of building the reactors over the life time of the plant and to keep the cost of energy below £100 per megawatt during its lifetime.
That figure is still twice the current market price, but ministers believe that subsequent plants would become cheaper and more competitive.
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Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)Why are they not on the table?
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)NickB79
(19,113 posts)Because of the environmental concerns about the controversial technique, which include the risk of water pollution, the government called for stringent controls on fracking. But the decision nonetheless potentially opens the door for a shale gas industry to begin developing in Western Europe, even though many governments on the Continent remain wary. Poland has already allowed big energy companies to do exploratory drilling.
And no one pay any attention to the fact that fracking for gas releases so much methane it makes natural gas TWICE as bad as coal with regard to global warming. I'm sure things will work out just fine
wordpix
(18,652 posts)Subsidize us and we'll provide "cheap" energy (after you give us $60 billion in guaranteed loans).
Just say NO.