Understanding the nuclear and renewable energy mix
With falling prices for renewables, how does this affect the place of nuclear in the energy mix?
The need for nuclear power
In just a few years - during the early 2020s - many of the UK's power stations are expected to close. If they are not replaced, there might not be enough electricity supply to meet the demands of houses and businesses.
To provide a secure energy supply for the future, the UK needs a diverse and balanced energy mix. Nuclear power stations make an important contribution to this mix, as they reliably generate low-carbon electricity. Nuclear power is the most affordable large-scale, low-carbon energy source currently available to the UK.
We are committed to helping secure the UK’s energy future by investing in an energy mix that balances the needs of low-carbon emissions, security of supply, and affordability. We own and operate eight nuclear power stations in the UK and are building a new one at Hinkley Point C in Somerset. In addition, we are jointly developing other new build proposals with CGN, with EDF leading on Sizewell C in Suffolk, and CGN leading on Bradwell B in Essex.
Our nuclear new build projects
Hinkley Point C
Hinkley Point C, currently under construction in Somerset, is the first nuclear power station to be built in the UK for more than 20 years. It will have the capacity to generate safe, reliable, low-carbon electricity; enough to power around 6 million homes over an anticipated lifespan of 60 years.
Sizewell C
We aim to build a new power station with two UK-EPR reactors located on land next to the current Sizewell B station in Suffolk. Sizewell C will be a near identical copy of Hinkley Point C, which will make it cheaper to build and finance and cost competitive with other low-carbon technologies.
