{"id":305269,"date":"2024-02-28T15:14:50","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T14:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=305269"},"modified":"2024-02-28T15:14:53","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T14:14:53","slug":"french-built-nuclear-reactor-delays-to-put-britain-at-risk-of-blackouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=305269","title":{"rendered":"French-built nuclear reactor delays to put Britain at risk of blackouts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinkley Point C delays and closure of other nuclear stations leave UK facing \u2018crunch point\u2019, analysis finds.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delays to French-built nuclear power stations will leave the UK at risk of blackouts by 2028, new research has warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A \u201cperfect storm\u201d of increased demand because of net zero, the closure of existing nuclear power stations and\u00a0delays to the delivery of Hinkley Point C,<\/a>\u00a0which is being built by French state-owned power company EDF, will leave the country facing a \u201ccrunch point\u201d that risks blackouts. The Telegraph<\/a> has the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It coincides with new government data showing consumers will have \u00a32.8bn added to their bills in 2028 \u2013 about \u00a3100 per householder \u2013 to pay power station owners to provide generating capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analysis by Public First predicts that the UK\u2019s demand for power will exceed baseload capacity by 7.5GW at peak times by 2028 \u2013 a shortfall equivalent to the power used by more than 7 million homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A shortfall is expected as ageing British power infrastructure is set to close in the coming years. Ratcliffe-on-Soar, the UK\u2019s last remaining coal-fired power station, is scheduled to shut down this year.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hartlepool and Heysham I nuclear power stations will be decommissioned in March 2026 and Heysham II and Torness come offline in March 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, demand for electricity is expected to increase sharply as\u00a0Britain shifts away from fossil fuels<\/a>\u00a0and adopts technology such as electric vehicles and heat pumps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The warning comes amid a political row between Westminster and Paris over who will pay for cost overruns<\/a> on the long-delayed Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor, which was scheduled to open in 2025 at the time of approval but will now not come online until at least 2031.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has demanded \u201can equitable sharing of costs\u201d but the UK Government insisted the EDF-led development must be privately financed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cost of building Hinkley Point C, which is under construction in Somerset, has risen from \u00a318bn to \u00a346bn \u2013 equivalent to \u00a3700 for everyone in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public First\u2019s warning is politically highly sensitive as it implies the UK could face power shortages and consequent increases in prices, or even the risk of blackouts, around the time of a general election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report, Mind the Gap: Exploring Britain\u2019s energy crunch, was commissioned by Drax Power, the owner of the controversial Drax power station that once burned coal but is now fuelled largely by wood chips imported from \u201csustainable\u201d forests in North America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It generates about 4pc of the UK\u2019s electricity but is reliant on taxpayer subsidies that last year earned Drax \u00a3617m, but which comes to an end in 2027. Drax is lobbying politicians to extend those subsidies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report said expected shortfalls in generation capacity will leave the UK\u00a0even more dependent on international generation<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 meaning power imported via undersea cable from France, Norway and other European countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A \u201cperfect storm\u201d of increased demand because of net zero, the closure of existing nuclear power stations and\u00a0delays to the delivery of Hinkley Point C,\u00a0which is being built by French state-owned power company EDF, will leave the country facing a \u201ccrunch point\u201d that risks blackouts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":305274,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"A \u201cperfect storm\u201d of increased demand because of net zero, the closure of existing nuclear power stations and\u00a0delays to the delivery of Hinkley Point C,\u00a0which is being built by French state-owned power company EDF, will leave the country facing a \u201ccrunch ","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818279,691818902,691827282,691818154,691827280,691827281],"class_list":{"0":"post-305269","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-blackouts","9":"tag-britain","10":"tag-increases-in-prices","11":"tag-net-zero","12":"tag-nuclear-power-station","13":"tag-power-shortages","15":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/0skynews-hinkley-point-nuclear_5731481.jpg?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1hpH","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":414364,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=414364","url_meta":{"origin":305269,"position":0},"title":"Britain 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Recent projects have been severely delayed and hugely over budget, taking well over 10 years to complete.\u201d \u2013 Financial Times, February 20, 2026).","rel":"","context":"In \"\u00c9lectricit\u00e9 de France (EDF)\"","block_context":{"text":"\u00c9lectricit\u00e9 de France (EDF)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electricite-de-france-edf"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQNYDwvrm8b9PJpm1nieO-uQ_sksieZXeRVGqcVMb6xHTf7vTWxIoV5t08C_GAvvvxkFihU-p82ljj3Wsq4msE-nr5R50pQhqhPHD9T54JFR8DKYYCT8EedBKfTwPxLT.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQNYDwvrm8b9PJpm1nieO-uQ_sksieZXeRVGqcVMb6xHTf7vTWxIoV5t08C_GAvvvxkFihU-p82ljj3Wsq4msE-nr5R50pQhqhPHD9T54JFR8DKYYCT8EedBKfTwPxLT.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQNYDwvrm8b9PJpm1nieO-uQ_sksieZXeRVGqcVMb6xHTf7vTWxIoV5t08C_GAvvvxkFihU-p82ljj3Wsq4msE-nr5R50pQhqhPHD9T54JFR8DKYYCT8EedBKfTwPxLT.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQNYDwvrm8b9PJpm1nieO-uQ_sksieZXeRVGqcVMb6xHTf7vTWxIoV5t08C_GAvvvxkFihU-p82ljj3Wsq4msE-nr5R50pQhqhPHD9T54JFR8DKYYCT8EedBKfTwPxLT.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AQNYDwvrm8b9PJpm1nieO-uQ_sksieZXeRVGqcVMb6xHTf7vTWxIoV5t08C_GAvvvxkFihU-p82ljj3Wsq4msE-nr5R50pQhqhPHD9T54JFR8DKYYCT8EedBKfTwPxLT.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":237318,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=237318","url_meta":{"origin":305269,"position":3},"title":"Nuclear plants face shutdown over tax on windfalls","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/01\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The UK government is running short of electricity supply options due to net zero policies based on climate obsessions, as well as years of reluctance to believe that renewable energy is, and will always be, too erratic and unreliable. A power supply crunch is looming.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-26.png?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-26.png?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-26.png?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-26.png?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-26.png?fit=1200%2C720&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":416020,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=416020","url_meta":{"origin":305269,"position":4},"title":"Sizewell C Levies","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/12\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Regulated Asset Base (RAB) is a financing mechanism used in the UK to fund large-scale infrastructure projects, such as nuclear power stations, by combining private investment with regulated revenue streams. It has been applied to sectors like water, energy grids, and transport for decades.","rel":"","context":"In \"Energy Prices\"","block_context":{"text":"Energy Prices","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energy-prices-2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0Screenshot-2025-12-04-190100.png?fit=1200%2C645&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0Screenshot-2025-12-04-190100.png?fit=1200%2C645&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0Screenshot-2025-12-04-190100.png?fit=1200%2C645&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0Screenshot-2025-12-04-190100.png?fit=1200%2C645&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0Screenshot-2025-12-04-190100.png?fit=1200%2C645&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":237325,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=237325","url_meta":{"origin":305269,"position":5},"title":"Nuclear plants face shutdown over tax on windfalls","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/01\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Two nuclear power stations crucial to keeping Britain\u2019s lights on risk being closed next year as a result of Jeremy Hunt\u2019s windfall tax, their French owner warns today.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-27.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-27.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-27.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-27.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image-27.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=305269"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305269\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":305275,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305269\/revisions\/305275"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/305274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=305269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=305269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=305269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}