The Commons Science and Technology Committee has today launched
an inquiry here into the
Government’s approach to developing new nuclear power. The
Government have committed to approving up to eight new nuclear
fission reactors by 2030 in its energy security strategy,
released following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The inquiry will
consider what interventions are required to achieve this and the
Government’s aim for nuclear to supply 25% of electricity by
2050.
MPs will review the funding and regulation of nuclear power,
including the provisions in the Energy Security Bill introduced
into Parliament recently, the status of the different nuclear
power technologies and their role in achieving the net zero by
2050 target.
The launch of the inquiry comes as the reactors at Hinkley Point
B nuclear plant are shut down. More than half of the UK's 11
nuclear reactors are due to be retired by 2025 with no immediate
replacements, an approach which was criticised in a recent Public
Accounts Committee report. The Science
and Technology Committee’s inquiry will examine how the gap in
nuclear generating capacity, which currently accounts for around
15% of the UK’s electricity, will be filled and energy supply
protected.
The inquiry seeks evidence on the technical challenges facing the
next generation of nuclear power plants, what further research
and development is required to build capacity and how the
management of nuclear waste can be improved. Following on from
the Committee’s one-off evidence session on
Fusionin May, the inquiry will also further investigate the
viability of and progress towards achieving fusion power.
ENDS
Terms of reference
The Committee invites written submissions here by 23.59 on
Friday 30 September, addressing any or all of the following
questions:
- What technical challenges do the next generation of nuclear
fission power plants, including Small Modular Reactor and
Advanced Modular Reactors, face?
-
- What support or interventions are required to bring these
technologies to the grid as soon as possible?
- When will fusion power supply electricity to the grid?
-
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of developing
fusion technologies over other energy sources?
- What could be done to ensure that the UK’s electricity supply
is not affected by the high proportion of reactors being
decommissioned?
-
- How can the Government ensure that the cost of
decommissioning does not increase any further?
- How can lessons learnt from decommissioning programmes be
used to benefit new nuclear power programmes?
- What needs to be done to improve the UK’s approach to dealing
with nuclear waste and to ensure that the Government can meet its
aims of transferring waste to geological disposal facilities?
- How can the funding methods that support the development of
nuclear technologies be improved?
-
- How can the UK leverage further private investment in
this area?
- What support will industry need to meet the Government’s
ambitions for delivery new nuclear power plants in the next
decade?
