no new nukes deeemed needed in UK - Financial Times

[Norman Cohen <ncohen12@HOME.COM>]

Along the lines of some of our discussions:



> Norman Cohen wrote:

>

>  http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/articles.html?print=true&id=011123001618

>

>

>   NATIONAL NEWS: Need for more nuclear power 'unlikely'

>

>   Financial Times, Nov 23, 2001

>   By ROBERT SHRIMSLEY and ANDREW TAYLOR

>

>   An increase in the use of nuclear power is not expected to be necessary, the

>   government's energy review has found. It concluded that there was no

>   desperate need to find alternative fuel sources.

>

>   Although the review sees a continued strong role for nuclear power and a big

>   expansion of renewable energy such as wind power, it takes a far less gloomy

>   view about the future of gas supplies than many experts had predicted.

>

>   A draft copy of the report, which is due to be published by the government's

>   performance and innovation unit next month, is said by one who has seen it to

>   be "surprisingly upbeat" about gas supplies.

>

>   Britain is a net importer of gas, and by 2006-07 is also due to buy more

>   petrol than it exports. However, the review has found that what one official

>   called "geo-political diversity" means there is no need to fear importing

>   gas.

>

>   Because there are so many gas exporters in various regions of the world, the

>   review believes Britain need not fear a sudden squeeze in supply or a big

>   price rise of the type experienced with oil during the 1970s.

>

>   Ministers had feared that the UK would be forced to import expensive gas from

>   politically unstable regions such as the former Soviet Union and North

>   Africa.

>

>   Industry experts, however, say concerns have underestimated the amount of gas

>   that is likely to be imported from Norway. Norwegian imports peaked in 1980

>   when they accounted for 22 per cent of gas consumed in Britain.

>

>   A further cushion could come from liquified natural gas from other regions.

>   LNG shipments, according to BP, the oil giant, accounted for 22 per cent of

>   all transported gas last year.

>

>   Some environmentalists' fears that the review might lead to an upsurge in

>   nuclear power appear not to have materialised.

>

>   The review will make no firm recommendations about how many new nuclear

>   reactors should be built to replace the existing and aged generation of

>   plants. Most of the plants are due to close within the next 20 years and a

>   large percentage look certain to be replaced.

>

>   Renewable energy sources are set to play an increasingly important role in

>   future supply. The review proposes that wind power and other renewables

>   should account for a higher percentage of energy supplies.

>

>   Present government targets will require electricity suppliers to buy at least

>   10 per cent of their power needs from renewable producers by 2010. The review

>   is set to recommend this target be raised significantly in later years,

>   perhaps rising to 20 per cent.

>

>   To overcome planning delays, which have been identified as an obstacle to

>   construction, the energy review has considered recommending that regional

>   planning authorities be set statutory development targets for renewable

>   generation.

>

>   The proposals are also expected to look at ways of overcoming financial

>   penalties incurred by renewable generators as a result of the electricity

>   trading arrangements introduced in March.

>



>   Copyright: The Financial Times Limited 1995-1998



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