Frequently asked questions

Why do we need new nuclear power stations?

We believe that moving to a low carbon economy while maintaining affordable and secure supplies of energy is the biggest challenge the energy industry has faced.

Substantial investment is required to replace existing nuclear and coal-fired power stations as they close and to meet predicted increasing demand. We estimate that the UK is likely to need between 15-25GW of new generating capacity by 2020. This investment must favour low carbon technologies and is urgently required.

How can nuclear contribute to reducing carbon emissions?

Nuclear power is an internationally proven, low carbon technology. It is a highly efficient method of producing large amounts of energy, and its total lifetime carbon footprint is comparable with other low carbon technologies such as wind power.

Their size means the electricity generated by a relatively small number of new nuclear power stations can have an enormous impact in terms of avoided carbon emissions for the UK. Nuclear can therefore play a significant role in meeting Government energy targets and objectives as part of a broad and well-balanced energy mix.

How would nuclear contribute to ensuring security of supply?

Investing in a diverse mix of fuels for electricity generation, including a significant amount of new nuclear, ensures greater security of supply. Concentrating on a single technology or fuel – such as gas – would mean all plants of that technology could be affected by a single unfavourable market development, such as very high fuel prices.
Nuclear is the only low carbon, internationally-proven technology capable of providing large-scale continuous generating capacity within the timescales needed to meet the Government’s emission targets and maintain security of supply. Furthermore, the uranium required to fuel existing and potential new stations is readily available from politically stable countries in different parts of the world to the sources of gas supplies and uranium can be easily stockpiled if required.

Is there enough nuclear fuel to go round?

Allowing energy companies to invest in new nuclear power stations in the UK would have a relatively small impact on global demand for uranium. In its 2008 White Paper, the Government concluded that, given there are sufficient high-grade uranium ores available to meet future global demand, there should be adequate reserves to fuel any new nuclear plants built in the UK.

The most authoritative report on uranium resources is a joint report published regularly by the OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to the latest joint report, resources could allow 220 years of electricity generation worldwide at current consumption rates, using existing reactor technology.

About half of conventional known resources are located in stable OECD countries. The supply is sustainable, with existing resources being replenished (from new discoveries and technical progress) at least as fast as they are being used.

Will new nuclear reduce investment in alternative technologies such as renewable or energy efficiency measures?

We believe that renewable energy sources should play an important future role in meeting demand and npower has a significant investment programme in place. Indeed, npower renewables was recently granted consent to construct its 750MW Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm off the North Wales coast which will be one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world.

However, the intermittent nature of renewable energy production, particularly wind power, together with planning and grid connection constraints, means its contribution will still need to be balanced by large-scale, low carbon generation such as that made possible by new nuclear generation.

We also believe energy efficiency measures must play a significant part in curbing demand growth and are already active in encouraging our customers to adopt energy efficient solutions and products.

Is nuclear more expensive than other forms of generation?

Nuclear power is a proven, mature technology that can be deployed on a large scale. Over the lifetime of a nuclear plant, Government analysis shows that at any positive carbon price, it has lower costs per unit of electricity output (known as levelised costs) than gas-fired generation.

Nuclear fuel costs make up only a small proportion (around 10%) of the overall plant running costs, with uranium ore accounting for approximately 1.5% of total generation costs compared to gas plant where fuel costs represent around 70% of running costs.

Fossil fuel prices have been volatile and subject to more sudden increases. Increases in fossil fuel costs are also more rapidly translated into increases in generation costs and electricity prices because fuel prices represent a higher proportion of the total cost of generating electricity. Nuclear power can therefore play a part as a hedge against such input price volatility.

How will you deal with the costs of waste management and decommissioning?

The Government has made clear that investors in new nuclear power stations will need to meet the full costs of decommissioning and each operator’s full share of the cost of waste management. We would take this fully into account when making investment decisions.

RWE has more than 40 years of first-hand experience of decommissioning nuclear power stations and of treating and storing radioactive waste including an understanding of the costs and technology involved.

How will you deal with waste management and decommissioning?

The UK has a strong, robust and independent nuclear regulatory regime to ensure the safe disposal of existing UK wastes as well as wastes arising from a new programme of nuclear power stations in the UK.

The UK nuclear energy industry creates low, intermediate and high level waste.

The Government’s current thoughts are to see spent fuel and intermediate level waste stored on site for the life of the station and through decommissioning before final disposal in a permanent geological facility. Whatever the final decision, we need to plan for this and to put provision for the safe and effective storage of waste at the heart of any new nuclear power station.

The new generation of nuclear power stations will be designed specifically to manage waste. This is the best way of ensuring any waste is secure and properly managed.

Decommissioning of the sorts of reactors to be constructed in a new build programme is now a mature and well understood technology. No new techniques will be needed to decommission new nuclear power stations. In fact, lower waste volumes and proper conditioning of wastes as they are created mean that the challenges of decommissioning are much less than with earlier generations of nuclear power stations in the UK.

RWE has practical hands-on experience of decommissioning several of its own nuclear plants in Germany. To date, worldwide, more than 100 commercial power reactors have been shut down and, of these, 14 have been completely decommissioned.

In the UK, installations representing the full range of fuel cycle facilities have been successfully decommissioned.

What about the transport of nuclear materials?

The transport of radioactive material has been carried out safely and securely around the world and in the UK for many years. It is regulated by international and national safety frameworks and controlled by national regulators, all of which ensure the public’s safety.

Are there going to be enough skilled workers for a new nuclear programme?

The timescales involved in developing and delivering a nuclear new build programme provide an opportunity to put in place the necessary skills, resources and manufacturing capacity. The key to this is industry confidence that a new build programme will go ahead.

The UK already has a strong capability in programme, project and construction management and in civil engineering construction and plant installation.

We must also encourage and invest in young engineers and technologists, particularly in the areas of safety and licensing, nuclear science and engineering and environmental science.

This investment will help create a lasting legacy of skilled workers, skills and construction capacity.

Will the construction of new nuclear power stations guarantee British jobs?

It's very early to discuss how jobs would be allocated at any new stations at this early stage, but when recruiting staff to build and operate a station and when employing contractors and suppliers we would look to capitalise on local skills and expertise.

Where can I find out more?

For more information see the Useful links page.