Nuclear Energy Can Help the UK Solve Energy Crisis

The UK has faced an energy crisis during the past year, among many other western countries. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has worsened the energy crisis, resulting in a cost of living crisis. Consequently, the UK government has decided to rely more on its energy resources by building nuclear power stations. 

UK Government Improves Domestic Energy Supply

After expanding the energy crisis in Europe, the UK government has decided to develop nuclear energy. British business secretary has announced the country will expand its homegrown energy supply. Britain plans to build new nuclear power stations as part of its ambition for self-reliance. After the energy crisis hit the country, Kwasi Kwarteng has said the UK wants to have six or seven sites. The UK PM Boris Johnson has planned to expand his current commitment to building one nuclear power station by 2024. Johnson has also had a meeting with industry leaders about constructing an offshore wind farm. NO 10 will finalize a document focusing on wind and nuclear energy. A US energy developer had discussed building hundreds of small modular reactors across the UK. If the technology of small modular reactors is successful, they can provide large-scale nuclear energy.

PM Planned to Build Nuclear Power Stations 

In his 10-point green plan, Johnson has previously mentioned the importance of wind and nuclear energy. He has stated that the UK government had planned to quadruple offshore wind power to power every British home. He had also mentioned that there would be £525m for the new nuclear power stations. The British PM has promised that the expansion of nuclear energy would create more jobs and result in energy independence. The UK has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. 

The UK government needs to move away from fossil fuels to reach its environmental targets by the midcentury. Environmentalists have put pressure on the UK government to halt new domestic drilling. Therefore, the UK will rely on oil and gas from foreign sources. Environmentalists have challenged the UK’s strategy and urged the government to shift to clean energy sources. 

Fossil Fuel Has Important Role Across Britain

The UK uses fossil fuels for three-quarters of its energy mix to generate electricity, heat homes, and fuel vehicles. In the light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, oil and gas prices have increased a lot. Soaring energy prices have accelerated the ambitions to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Britain had previously reduced its energy dependence on Russian gas. The gas fields in the North Sea and the Irish Sea provide 40 per cent of the country’s needs. However, the UK has very little control of the domestic energy supply via public ownership. The privatization of Britain’s energy supplies has linked British consumers to the international energy market rates. Consequently, energy prices have increased fast in the UK as global energy prices have surged. Thus, the UK government plans to improve its energy security and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

Energy Crisis Caused Poverty 

The soaring energy prices have dropped millions of households into fuel poverty. That means many families with children cannot afford to live in a warm, dry home. Soaring energy prices have hit the poorest families the hardest. They have to spend 10 percent of their budget on energy bills, while the wealthiest families spend 4 per cent. The increasing energy bills have forced lower-income families to need urgent action by the UK government. Recently, terrified Brits have taken to the streets to protest over high energy bills. Mid-paid and low-paid households are not earning enough to buy food and pay bills. They have asked the government to lower the prices and help soften the pressure on families. The rising cost of living was a problem for many people, so demonstrations took place nationwide.  

Westminster Seeks Diverse Energy Sources

As energy bills have surged, British MPs have asked Westminster to take action and lower prices for vulnerable groups. Business Secretary Kwarteng has said the UK government was working with G7 partners to get various energy sources. A former cabinet minister has asked for a discount on heating bills to help pensioners and vulnerable people. The Business Minister has replied that renewable energy is the best protection against global energy shortage. Nuclear energy is a renewable energy that can bolster the UK’s energy supplies. The UK was the first country that split the atom, and it had the world’s first civilian nuclear power plant. Nuclear energy can make consistent baseload electricity generation when other renewables are not generating electricity. Nuclear energy resources will help the UK government phase out foreign energy dependence in the following decades.

Nuclear Energy Will Replace Foreign Energy 

Financial Times has recently calculated that the UK’s dependence on overseas energy supplies will increase by 2030. The UK has been already importing more than half of its gas from Norway, Qatar, and Russia. By 2050, the UK will be able to produce only 15 per cent of its gas from domestic resources. The UK government needs to review its strategy and revive its nuclear energy industry. The UK needs nuclear energy and energy from renewables to cut its foreign energy reliance. Under normal conditions, nuclear energy is among the safest and most secure fuels globally. However, generating nuclear power produces dangerous radioactive waste. The government should safely manage and store the waste for hundreds of years. Nuclear power stations do not produce greenhouse gases and make a much larger energy than fossil fuels. 

Conclusion 

The UK has faced energy challenges as gas prices surged in 2021 and 2022. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has increased energy costs and brought energy markets into chaos. Sanctions against Russia have made things even worse. High energy costs mean that many households receive unaffordable bills. Although the UK gets only 5 per cent of its gas from Russia, the global market has affected British families, too. British ministers have called for the UK government to help vulnerable groups who have been struggling with the cost of living crisis. There is a need for a self-sufficient energy supply in Britain. The UK government has planned to build more nuclear power stations. Nuclear energy is among clean points and can produce a large amount of energy. New nuclear power stations with new technologies can help the UK solve its energy crisis.