It is worth remembering that the civil nuclear power programme having been signed off in 1952, construction of Calder Hall, the World’s first grid scale nuclear power station, commenced in 1953, was carried out by Taylor Woodrow Construction and was officially opened on 17 October 1956, all done using 1950s technology and construction techniques.
The station was closed on 31 March 2003, the first reactor having been in use for nearly 47 years.
I think the comment about Nuclear and Renewables complementing each other is not really correct. Both sit at the high deployment end of the merit order i.e. they must sell (ideally 90%+ of potential renewable generation, or 90% of nuclear capacity) to achieve good economics. Renewables need peak and backup supply, typically gas, and slowly some batteries, to offer a combined very low overall baseload price.
They are therefore directly in competition. This is why there is so much petty argument on Twitter.
Hello - if the UK is midtable on pre-1995 costs (ie Sizewell B and before) isn't the point that Hinkley C is very expensive? That is the only one to be built since 1995. And that is almost all down to cost of capital.
It is worth remembering that the civil nuclear power programme having been signed off in 1952, construction of Calder Hall, the World’s first grid scale nuclear power station, commenced in 1953, was carried out by Taylor Woodrow Construction and was officially opened on 17 October 1956, all done using 1950s technology and construction techniques.
The station was closed on 31 March 2003, the first reactor having been in use for nearly 47 years.
So what has gone wrong since?
Good perspectives, especially on the historical costs and international costs as well. Thank you. And yes, the world needs a nuclear renaissance.
Thanks. Keepup the good work.
Seems there's a simple check this article missed.
Finland is taking £5.97mill/MW and 17 years
UK is taking £9.42mill/MW and 9 years
It's almost like around the clock construction costs more.
It would be nice to see the current £/MW/year of construction for solar and wind for comparison. After all, value for money is important.
I think the comment about Nuclear and Renewables complementing each other is not really correct. Both sit at the high deployment end of the merit order i.e. they must sell (ideally 90%+ of potential renewable generation, or 90% of nuclear capacity) to achieve good economics. Renewables need peak and backup supply, typically gas, and slowly some batteries, to offer a combined very low overall baseload price.
They are therefore directly in competition. This is why there is so much petty argument on Twitter.
Hello - if the UK is midtable on pre-1995 costs (ie Sizewell B and before) isn't the point that Hinkley C is very expensive? That is the only one to be built since 1995. And that is almost all down to cost of capital.