RE: Wednesday30 Mar 2022 19:12
Johnson says small nuclear reactors could be producing power for UK by end of decade
Philip Dunne (Con) goes next.
Q: To what extent will the energy security strategy address cost of living problems?
Johnson says it is important to address the problems people have. He sums up some of the measures announced.
But we have to recognise that in the UK “we have just failed for a generation to put in enough long-term supply”.
He says offshore wind has “massive potential”, as does nuclear.
(He stresses that he is talking about offshore wind. He is understood to be opposed to allowing more onshore wind turbines.)
Steven Swinford
(@Steven_Swinford)
Boris Johnson fairly clear that he is not keen to return to onshore wind energy
'Offshore wind - *I stress offshore wind* - has massive potential'
He asks why we're not doing more nuclear. 'Why have the French got 56 reactors and we've barely got six?'
March 30, 2022
He recalls reading the Ladybird book on nuclear power. And who’s fault was it there was not enough investment? Labour’s, he says.
He says they need to invest in “big ticket” nuclear projects, as well as smaller plants, SMRs (small modular reactors).
Q: How long could it be before an SMR is contributing to the grid?
Johnson says he has seen a briefing saying eight years.
I saw a bit of paper last night saying that they think ‘before the end of the decade’ - but they will have to go quicker than that ... If we don’t start now, we won’t be fixing the problem.
But he says the vaccine rollout showed how they country can do things very quickly.
Sign In
Follow the stocks
