12.2 The management of energy supply

• Hinkley Point C Location

  -Located in North Somerset on the Western coast

  -North of Taunton and Bridgewater

  -77km by road from Bristol (South of Bristol Channel)

  -Adjacent to the existing Hinkley point A and B power plants
• Hinkley Point-Timeline of Events

  1987 -energy became privatised.

  2002 -energy companies became privatised and needed a $3bn bailout.

  2006 -pro-nuclear lobbying took place, however the government made a u-turn.

  2008 -financial crash meant a withdrawal of investors

  2010 -Hinkley point announced as one of the eight nuclear power stations in the UK.

  2014 -European commission accept the proposed new plan

  2025 -the 'supposed' deadline

  2026 -the new deadline
• Hinkley Point-Funding/Investment

  -CGN creating uncertainty and opposition, China now barred from further investment.

  -Joint investment from France's state-owned EDF energy (66.5%) and China's state-owned 'China General Power' (33.5%)

  -EDF and Areva submitted the EPR design to the UK's ONF for safety checks in September 2007.
• Hinkley Point-Facts

  -3,260MW power plant

  -430 acre plot of land

  -Estimated to cost £22.5bn

  -3m tonnes of concrete used

  -First new power facility in UK since 1995

  -Create around 25,000 jobs

  -Target date for construction finish is June 2027

  -Biggest building site in Europe

  -Most expensive power station in the world
• Hinkley Point-Opinions of Stakeholders

  Local Community-make area more affluent, will boost local economy, looks ugly, has increased house prices.Local Council/Government-investment of £9m in affordable housing, puts area of global map, waste disposal transport through Bridgewater was denied.Campaign Groups-Welsh group campaign against mud dumping as a result of construction, waste will contaminate water and kill wildlife.Supporters of HPC-UK and French government are big supporters, many employees due to job creation.Financial Aspect-£3bn over budget (estimated cost was £25bn), number of workers being reduced which was increased construction time.Central Government-less reliance on Russia which is good, will help to reach net zero by 2050, increase energy security in the UK.Other-only provide energy for 60 years, will it ever be finished?
• Hinkley Point-Social Reasons for Construction

  -one of the most safe and secure power plants (amount of radiation released same as monkey nuts).

  -colleges in Bridgewater and Taunton have a link (922 apprenticeships created).

  -powers 6 million homes

  -£9m pumped into affordable housing

  -£25m invested into education, skills and employment
• Hinkley Point-Economic Reasons for Construction

  -meet 7% of UK's energy demand

  -1400 local companies involved in construction

  -25,000 jobs created as a result of the project

  -40% of workers from local area

  -3 new training centres

  -both Taunton and Bridgewater become more affluent

  -Geological facilities will provide jobs for 100+ years
• Hinkley Point-Environmental Reasons for Construction

  -offsets 9 million tonnes of CO2 per year

  -no nuclear accidents in the UK, so threat is very low

  -classed as a renewable energy source
• Hinkley Point-Political Reasons for Construction

  -will improve UK 'trade' of energy with other nations
• Hinkley Point-Social Reasons Against Construction


  -house prices in Taunton risen by 20% in 2021

  -looks very ugly-muddy fields scattered with towering cranes and bright yellow diggers.

  -very small but possible threat of an accident
• Hinkley Point-Economic Reasons Against Construction

  -very large decommissioning costs

  -controversial design

  -3x over original cost

  -pensioners may be paying for nuclear advancement in France, due to EDF

  -top up payments to cost £30bn

  -time taken dragged out by construction problems
• Hinkley Point-Environmental Reasons Against Construction

  -70,000 birds, badgers and more animals displaced/disrupted

  -8 types of bat that are endangered live in the area
• Hinkley Point-Political Reasons Against Construction

  -wind and solar methods are cheaper and more sustainable

  -some economies are now against UK
• Hinkley Point-SLT Development Points

  Scale-will provide 7% of UK's energy, biggest building site in Europe.

  Location-benefits Somerset local economy, how easy is it to access though?

  Time-very long overdue, only last 60 years of energy, how worth it ?
• UK-Nuclear Energy Strategy

  -Nuclear not only part of creating greater energy independence but to create high quality jobs and boost economic growth.

  -Government committed to using Geological Disposal Facilities (GDF) to dispose of nuclear waste.

  -Aim to produce 25% of electricity demand by 2050

  -£120m 'Future Nuclear Enabling Fund' as well as 8 reactors by the end of the decade.

  -Hinkley Point C-provide 3.2GW of electricity for 60 years.

  -Sizewell C in Suffolk could replace Hinkley Point C

  -2021-£1.7bn of funding available to support at least 1 new nuclear reactor plant

  -Advanced nuclear fund (£20m), for Rolls-Royce to develop a small modular reactor
• UK Ten Point Plan

  1)Offshore Wind-quadruple capacity by 20302)Hydrogen-increase low carbon hydrogen capacity to SGW by 20303)Nuclear Power-continue supporting large scale nuclear and invest in modular reactors4)Electric Vehicles-ban new combustion cars and vans by 2030 and hybrids by 20355)Public Transport-invest in zero-emission buses, electrification of all rail route and cycle lanes6)Aviation + Shipping-invest in R+D of sustainable aviation fuels7)Greener Buildings-drive better building performance through building regulations8)Carbon Capture-develop 4 operational carbon capture and storage sites by 20309)Nature-improve 30% of UK land by 2030 through new national parks etc10)Finance + Innovation-issue green bonds in 2021 and invest in emerging technologies
• UK Energy Strategy-Targets

  -Supporting 90,000 jobs across the UK and up to 250,000 by 2030.

  -Mobilisation of over £12 billion.

  -83% potentially of investment globally will be in zero-carbon technologies for electrical systems.

  -Enhance Uk's ability to absorb carbon, protect 30% of countryside.
• UK Energy Strategy-Other Strategies in Place

  -£100b of private sector investment by 2030 into British industries , e.g offshore wind.

  -Improve energy efficiency (reduce amount of energy that households and businesses need).

  -10 point plan (created 68,000 jobs).

  -Proposal for over 40% reduction in gas consumption by 2030.

  -Investment in North Sea
• UK Energy Strategy-Demand and Consumption Changes (+Net Zero)


  -Between 1990-2018, emissions fell by 43%, while GDP rose by 75%.

  -50 countries have signed Net Zero pledge

  -EU+USA, Net Zero by 2050, not being solved and will fall short of target

  2020-fossil fuels made up 84% of global energy mix, needs to be less than 20% by 2050 to reach net-zero.

  -Demand for natural gas has increased, meaning gas imports have increased
• UK Energy Strategy-Impact on UK Power Stations

  2008-FF's dominating but power stations been built decades earlier, Gordon Brown in power and was pro-nuclear, UK introduced climate change act.2009-electricity demand fell, coal mix 27%.2010-offshore wind grew to 1.3GW, introduction of solar rooftop panels, 5x increase in renewables.2011-Britain/Netherlands electricity connection.2012-market changes, gas expensive and coal cheap, couldn't meet EU 20-20-20 targets so power stations shut down.2013-more than 1000 large renewable schemes.2014-13 large coal/oil fired plants remain, renewable makes up 1/5th of electricity.2015-solar doubled to 10GW, Paris agreement.2016-solar outstrips coal for the 1st time, in May first hours without burning coal.2018-7 coal fired plants remain, 700MW of battery storage capacity.2022-6 coal fired plants remain BUT most being converted to Biomass.