From the actual report:
"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."
Jack Priest
Norman Cohen wrote:
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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