Nuclear energy is seeing a renaissance around the world – and new plants being built in the UK could significantly bolster our energy supply.

An energy crisis has been brewing in the UK for years. In the face of exponential population growth, a large proportion of older oil, gas and nuclear power stations have been closed.

By 2030, 35pc of our current energy capacity will no longer exist, and the Government estimates that energy reforms will cost up to £110 billion over the coming years.

Horizon’s two sites could deliver power for around 10 million homes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week Shunsuke Utena, managing director, Hitachi Nuclear Energy Europe

So, amid dwindling supplies and growing demand, it’s estimated that an extra 60GW of energy will need to be generated to break even.

The issue is inescapable; so how do we redesign and renew our energy supplies so they are fit for the 21st century? While the goal may be to provide low-carbon, sustainable, and affordable energy, the logistics of this have proved to be quite a challenge.

Experts agree that a single energy solution cannot be relied upon – instead, we need a mix of sustainable energy sources. The question is: what should this mix consist of? And how should they be funded?

Power hitter

Nuclear energy, which already delivers around 20pc of the UK’s electricity supply, has recently garnered a large amount of interest.

Japanese engineering giant Hitachi is one company leading the way in this area; in 2012 it acquired UK-based energy business Horizon Nuclear Power, with a view to bringing their advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR) technology to a new market. This reactor is already in operation in four power plants across Japan.

Not a utility, but an equipment provider, Hitachi has been clear throughout that it will not remain the sole owner of Horizon long-term. Indeed, their European business focuses on delivering ABWRs as a contractor to Horizon – which operates under separate management structures.

Sustainable source: nuclear energy delivers around 20pc of the UK’s electricity supply Credit: Getty

Horizon is now set to build two new nuclear power sites in the UK, each housing two ABWR units.

“We believe that ABWR – the most established advanced nuclear plant operating today – can play a vital role in Britain’s energy future,” says Shunsuke Utena, managing director of Hitachi Nuclear Energy Europe.

“With each unit generating some 1.3GW of energy, Horizon’s two sites could deliver power for around 10 million homes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week – with comparable lifecycle carbon to wind energy.”

Now coming to the end of its first major UK licensing phase, Horizon will soon be able to put ABWR technology into action – and a fully operating system is expected to be in operation in the UK around 2025.

Sustainable supply

Construction of these power plants will be a collaborative enterprise, with Hitachi working in partnership with multinational engineering firms Bechtel and JGC.

These projects are set to create 8,500 jobs at their peak, and each plant will then need an operational workforce of around 800 – marking an important boost for the UK economy.

Nuclear energy is a predictable, sustainable baseload energy provider Shunsuke Utena, managing director, Hitachi Nuclear Energy Europe

Mr Utena continues: “Nuclear energy is as low-carbon as any energy source – that’s been proven time and time again. It is strategically secure, with a stable supply of fuel, and more than a year’s gap needed between refuelling. Moreover, it is a predictable, sustainable baseload energy provider.”

And it’s this sustainable baseload resource that is so important in our current energy climate. “Renewable technologies are vital – and I’m proud that Hitachi works within these fields – but they are naturally intermittent,” explains Mr Utena.

He continues: “Historically, baseload energy has been provided by fossil fuels. Nuclear energy is the only tool that lets us ‘decarbonise’ this important baseload component, which business and industry depend on.”

Forging ahead

Of course, nuclear projects will not escape some degree of scepticism. With other builds such as the Hinkley Point C power plant facing criticism over costs and delivery timescales, the logistics of these Horizon plants are sure to be questioned.

Hitachi’s four ABWR plants in Japan, however, were built on time and within budget; company representatives have also made it clear that cost reduction is not only a top-line priority for them, but one they feel confident in achieving. The long-term benefits of these investments cannot be ignored either.

In any case, this is just the start of the UK’s energy journey. Hitachi is still focusing on nuclear technology research, recently forging partnerships with UK universities including Imperial College London and Bangor University.

Another important research area for them is smart cities; trends such as the internet of things are already being used to connect populations with their environment, to track the use of resources and services and make these interactions as efficient as possible. So, there is great potential for smart technologies to help streamline energy use.

As we move away from carbon-heavy resources, investment in nuclear energy could well help to meet the needs of our electricity-hungry society.

Having developed 23 reactors in Japan over the past five decades, Hitachi is confident that this resource will continue to prove an environmentally responsible and reliable part of the UK’s energy mix. So as the plans for its new UK plants progress, we can hope to see these goals realised.

Innovations for the future

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