Are the lights going out in the UK?
September 23, 2009
Tags: Comment, EDF Energy, Election, Energy, Government, Lights, News, Nuclear Power, UK
Electricity may not meet demand.
Well, as the government have finally admitted to this I guess that all the energy industry specialists have managed to get the message across and that they are correct! Electricity generation, or rather the pending lack of it, is a really serious issue because we are closing 9 oil and coal-fired power plants and 4 nuclear plants by 2015. I understand that the new British Energy (part of EDF Energy) nuclear generation plants will not come on line until about 2017 to 2018. The electricity shortfall is predicted to occur around 2015 to 2017. This leaves no leeway for build time slippage, or if the estimated requirement is a bit on the low side.
This is happening because the government didn’t get their act together 10 or so years ago when they were apparently told about the problem. I think this is a classic case of governments not embarking on long term major infrastructure projects as they are unlikely to be in power when they can take the glory at the grand opening before the next election. Am I cynical? Yes – but I am sure I am right!
Anyone got any thoughts?