Built between 1970 and 1980, the 9 operational nuclear reactors in the United Kingdom are at the end of their life. And 36 other reactors are in final shutdown, including 6 reactors on 3 sites that have been shut down since 2021, in the process of being dismantled.
Only the Hinkley Point site hosts new reactors, two EPRs, still under construction. All of the sites passed into the hands of the French energy company EDF Energy following the acquisition of British Energy in early 2009. Nuclear energy represents less than 20% of the British energy mix.
And so, in this situation of advanced obsolescence, anything that can save a little time is good to take, what’s more, in the midst of the cost of living crisis boosted by energy bills: thus, Tuesday, March 14 , the British government and the energy company Centrica, parent company of British Gas, welcomed the extension for two years by EDF of two nuclear power plants.
Grant Shapps, the British energy minister, congratulated EDF in these terms in a statement sent to AFP:
“EDF’s decision to extend the life of the Heysham 1 and Hartlepool power stations is good news, and comes on top of the investments we are making” to build new nuclear power stations.
29 TWH of additional electricity between 2024 and 2026
In a separate statement, also on Tuesday, the energy company Centrica estimated that this decision would add 6 TWh to its electricity volumes between 2024 and 2026, or “equivalent to approximately 70% of Centrica’s total nuclear electricity in 2022”.
In total, 29 TWh of additional electricity will be generated for the benefit of British energy operators, estimates for its part EDF.
The company announced on Thursday to extend the life of these power plants until 2026. Heysham 1 et de Hartlepool, located in the north of England, following 40 years of operation.
A closure already postponed for ten years
When the French energy company took possession of the British nuclear fleet in 2009, the closure of these plants there was initially scheduled for 2014, but it has already been postponed for ten years.
EDF, via a press release, reassured the authorities and the public by indicating that the graphite reactor cores were inspected in 2022 and that “power plants can produce longer by meeting strict regulatory standards” in force.
This postponement is therefore supposed to give the government a break to, as a consequence of the war in Ukraine, effectively strengthen its energy security, in particular by accelerating the development of British nuclear power, of which it gave details of the projects underway on Friday.
The gas-dependent UK aims to build up to eight new reactors by 2050.
In this context, London gave the green light in August to the financing of a new project, Sizewell C. The only two new reactors actually under construction in the country are those of Hinkley Point C. The two sites (in progress and planned ) are carried by EDF.
The British government also plans to build small modular nuclear reactors (the famous SMRs), which are cheaper, in partnership with the British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, but these will still require years of development.
Forced installation of prepaid meters to precarious customers: investigation once morest British Gas (Centrica) for “unacceptable” practices
The British energy regulator, Ofgem, announced at the very beginning of February that it was launching an investigation once morest British Gas, accused of having forcibly installed so-called prepaid meters in the homes of vulnerable consumers unable to pay their bills because of of soaring prices.
Following the opening of this investigation, the Minister of Energy Grant Shapps called on all energy suppliers to suspend this practice.
In a survey published a month and a half ago, on Thursday February 2, 2023, the Times revealed how a debt collection company acting for the supplier British Gas sent its agents to install these prepaid meters by force in the homes of vulnerable people who might no longer pay their bills.
Unlike conventional meters which record the energy consumption that the customer pays for via a subscription, people equipped with a prepaid meter must recharge their account to have access to gas or electricity. Once the reloaded sum is spent, the supply stops.
In the middle of winter, forced to cut the heating, for lack of money
In the middle of winter and with soaring energy prices, many precarious households who might no longer pay their bills were switched by their supplier to such equipment. And some are forced to stop heating, for lack of money to recharge them.
In his article, the Times recounts scenes of forced installations in the homes of a single father of three children, a 50-year-old woman with bipolar disorder or a mother of a disabled child using an electric wheelchair.
Agents of Arvato, the collection company that a journalist infiltrated, even received bonuses for installing prepaid meters.
Already alerted to this phenomenon of forced replacement of meters, legal on condition that fragile people are not affected (young children, pregnant women, precarious pensioners, disabled people, etc.), the energy regulator had called to order the suppliers on their obligation of a balanced control of the situation of the customers.
“These are extremely serious allegations (…) and we will not hesitate to take firm action”, had reprimanded, this same Thursday, February 2, Ofgem in a press release, announcing the launch of an investigation into British Gas.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had also judged these practices “deeply shocking and disturbing”, adding that Business and Energy Minister Grant Shapps would meet with the company that followingnoon.
Centrica, parent company of British Gas, announced in a press release to cease all forced meter replacement activity “at least until the end of winter”…
(with AFP)
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