Nuclear power under scrutiny
As the government gives its formal backing to a new generation of nuclear power stations, the University of Manchester has launched a new project to assess the sustainability of nuclear power.
As the government gives its formal backing to a new generation of nuclear power stations, the University of Manchester has launched a new project to assess the sustainability of nuclear power.
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| Dungeness A power station in kent. It ceased power generation in 2006 |
She said: “The outputs of this three-year project will have the potential to contribute to a better quality of life through improved understanding of the sustainability implications of the nuclear option compared to other energy options. Given the importance of the subject and the interest in its outputs, the work has a potential to impact both the UK and the international scenes.”
| Government nuclear proposals |
| Speed up planning process to make it easier to build plants. No public subsidies for nuclear except in emergencies. No limit to amount of electricity generated by nuclear power. New independent body to monitor decommissioning costs. Trebling of investment in wind and wave power. Store nuclear waste at 'interim' facility until suitable underground site found. |
The government will not be building any reactors itself - but says it will take steps, such as streamlining the planning process and identifying likely sites, to encourage private operators to build them.
Partners in the project include UK universities, large nuclear engineering companies, government departments, media organisations and NGOs.
