Energy heavyweights have urged caution over the idea of rolling out small modular reactor (SMR) technology to replace cancelled and decommissioned nuclear power projects. They have expressed concerns about rolling out small modular reactor (SMR) technology to replace cancelled and decommissioned nuclear power projects. The warnings came during a discussion about the potential “clean energy gap” left by cancelled nuclear projects like Wylfa and older plants being decommissioned early. One potential solution to the gap would be to accelerate the progress of SMR developments, which are marketed by their supporters as a more affordable nuclear power option, and safer than larger projects, such as Hinkley Point C. But National Infrastructure Commission chief economist James Richardson warned that the industry has failed to deliver on technological promises in the past. “You have to have a degree of caution with new nuclear technology,” he said. “We have been promised things time and time again and typically the industry tends to be more expensive and take longer than planned. I would be cautious against SMRs, they are a question for the 2030s.”
New Civil Engineer 9th June 2019 read more »
Lord Henley confirms that Trawsfynydd remains a potential site; it has been neither ruled in nor ruled out. We believe that small and advanced nuclear reactors have the potential to drive down costs through technology and production innovations. Lord Wigley adds his support to the bid made in favour of Trawsfynydd. The old nuclear power station there is half decommissioned, but the lake is too small for a full new nuclear power station. Given that the Wylfa project is, to say the least, in doubt, will he look positively at the Trawsfynydd option for SMRs in order to keep this technology alive in north-west Wales?
House of Lords 10th June 2019 read more »