UK faces 55 per cent power supply gap

• 8 years ago (2016-01-26)
• David Flin

Europe 1061 Nuclear 640

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The UK faces a 40-55 per cent electricity supply gap if the UK Government implements its plans to close all coal-fired power stations and retire aging nuclear power stations by 2025, according to a report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME).

The report by the IME, “ Engineering the UK Electricity Gap ”, said that plans to plug the gap by building combined cycle gas turbine plants are unrealistic, as the UK would need to build around 30 plants in 10 years. By contrast, the UK has built just four in the last 10 years. The report said: “The UK has neither the resources nor enough people with the right skills to build this many power stations in time. It is already too late for any other nuclear reactors to be planned and built by the coal shut-off target of 2025, other than Hinkley Point C.”

Jenifer Baxter, Head of Energy and Environment for the IME, and lead author of the report, said: “Currently, there are insufficient incentives for companies to invest in any sort of electricity infrastructure or innovation, and worryingly, even the government’s own energy calculator does not allow for the scenarios that the new energy policy points towards. Under current policy, it is almost impossible for UK electricity demand to be met by 2025.”