The Department of Energy and Climate Change has named eleven sites that could be potential hosts to new nuclear power stations in the UK. All the sites have been vetted to ensure they credible and could be home to an operational plant by 2025.
The eleven sites are:
1. Hartlepool nominated by EDF Energy
2. Heysham nominated by EDF Energy
3. Dungeness nominated by EDF Energy
4. Sellafield nominated by NDA
5. Kirksanton nominated by RWE
6. Braystones nominated by RWE
7. Wylfa Peninsula nominated by NDA and RWE
8. Oldbury nominated by NDA and EON
9. Hinkley Point nominated by EDF Energy
10. Bradwell nominated by NDA
11. Sizewell nominated by EDF Energy
All but two of these sites – Braystones and Kirksanton – are home to existing nuclear installations.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates a key step towards a new fleet of nuclear power stations for the UK – with the first on course for the end of 2017,” said Keith Parker, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association.
Ed Miliband, UK energy and climate change secretary reiterated the UK’s commitment to nuclear power. "Nuclear power is part of the low carbon future for Britain. It also has the potential to offer thousands of jobs to the UK and multi-million pound opportunities to British businesses," he said
Members of the public now have a month to comment on the proposed sites before the nuclear planning consultation later this year. Then, the sites that are judged to be potentially suitable will be included in the draft National Policy Statement (NPS) on nuclear power, which will be published later this year for public consultation.
Meanwhile bidding for land adjacent to three Nuclear Decommissioning Authority sites continues. The online auction for land near Bradwell in Essex, Oldbury in South Gloucestershire and Wylfa in Anglesey reopened on 14 April, after a break for Easter, The auction will end once a period of 24 hours has elapsed without a bid on any of the three lots.
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