EU starts energy crisis in UK as oldest nuclear plants shut

Britannist · 31-12-2006, 04:47 AM

The world’s two oldest commercial nuclear power stations will both shut down today.

Dungeness A (at Lydd-on-Sea near New Romney and Dymchurch in Kent) and Sizewell A (on the Suffolk coast) will close because the reprocessing plant at Sellafield (which makes safe spent fuel from the two power stations) is to shut in 2012.

It is said that larger nuclear power stations operational in the UK are more efficient than the two which close today.

It will take 40-years before ‘final clearance’ is given to the sites occupied by Dungeness A and Sizewell A.

Dungeness A opened in 1965. Dungeness B (which has two reactors) started working in 1983 and will close in 2008. Sizewell A opened in 1958. The closure date of Sizewell B – which opened in 1995 – has not yet been announced.

All British nuclear power stations presently working will close by 2023 and the discredited Blair Labour Government has left it extremely late to give the go ahead to a new generation of nuclear power stations to be constructed.

The UK imports 10% of its electricity from France. The majority of gas used in the UK now comes from foreign countries.

The EU is forcing the UK to shut down capable and efficient coal-fired power stations claiming they cause pollution - but the real reason the EU is pressurising the British Government to close them is so as to make the UK more reliant on energy provided from continental europe.

There is actually enough coal in the world to supply industrial nations like the UK for two centuries at prices lower than gas.

The UK is about to experience a shortage of nuclear power and (because of EU orders) the disappearance of its power stations run on cheap coal imported from continents other than europe.

Thanks to Labour and the EU – the UK is now heavily reliant on expensive gas piped through unstable eastern european and EU nations (which is what the EU wants). Those countries could cut off gas supplies to the UK without notice meaning that gas-fired power stations in the UK producing electricity would cease to work.

With a shortage of nuclear power as nuclear stations close; no alternative in the future such electricity from coal-fired power stations and wind turbines producing electricity for only a quarter of the time - the UK could face power cuts and further rises in the price of energy.

Besoeker · 31-12-2006, 03:32 PM

I agree. The situation is going to get worse. I posted this article from Electrical Review on another forum:

I hope it is legible.

On the subject of coal, I do not believe that there is 200 years worth.
Here is something I also posted in another forum where nuclear power was a topic:

Quote:

Incidentally, I had also looked at the World Energy Council site.
Apply even the simplest arithmetic to the figures they give and the most optimistic figure you get is about 150 odd years*. It is also based on 1999 figures so obviously can't have had access to figures for changes in world power production and consumption since then. As a simple example, power generation in China alone now uses more coal than the figure quoted for the whole of Asia for all processes that use coal products.

My own calcs, based on energy council figures, indicate about 80 years worth for coal fired power. I have taken no account of any shortfall from other sources which would reduce this period.

Britannist · 31-12-2006, 04:19 PM

Thank you for your agreement.

Labour and the EU are to blame for the uncertainty over the future of our energy supplies.

Yes, the articles you post Besoeker are legible. Good of you to give us the chance to read them.

On coal - when I said there was 200 years' of coal supplies left in the world I was quoting a Professor who was interviewed on TalkSport radio's James Whale programme several weeks ago.

There's no doubt that China is gobbling up world energy reserves at an alarming rate. And as India industrialises that large nation (in population terms) will help bring forward the date when supplies of coal, oil and gas are exhausted (at least supplies that are economic to extract).

The future is nuclear power (and possibly nuclear fusion if they can manage it) and biofuels - with vehicles running on biofuels, electric or hydrogen power.

I was encouraged to hear the other day that someone has managed to invent and operate an electric car capable of travel at very high speed. If what I heard is accurate, then this a major development.

Besoeker · 31-12-2006, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britannist

The future is nuclear power (and possibly nuclear fusion if they can manage it) and biofuels - with vehicles running on biofuels, electric or hydrogen power.

I was encouraged to hear the other day that someone has managed to invent and operate an electric car capable of travel at very high speed. If what I heard is accurate, then this a major development.

Again, I agree - nuclear power, at least in the medium term.
Biofuels I am less certain about. This was done here a while ago. There was no concencus then.
I think hybrid rather than purely electric cars look more likely at present although dust to dust studies have shown that a Prius is no more environmentaly friendly than a Jeep Cherokee. For electric vehicles you would need to consider the initial source of energy. Hydrogen production is quite energy intensive.

I think the high speed electric car you mention is a Tesla Roadster .
Here:
http://www.teslamotors.com/
Impressive enough but some of the claims don't stand scrutiny.

PatrioticBriton · 10-01-2007, 04:57 PM

The EU has already ensured that there will be no new NEPs on the mainland.

Besoeker · 10-01-2007, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatrioticBriton

The EU has already ensured that there will be no new NEPs on the mainland.

NEPs?

Lazyguy · 10-01-2007, 05:35 PM

Nuclear Energy Plants. I think.

PatrioticBriton · 10-01-2007, 05:54 PM

Nuclear electric plants.

Did you guys know the EU forced the Bulgarians to shut down the 6 reactors they operated until 2006?

Besoeker · 10-01-2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatrioticBriton

Nuclear electric plants.

Thank you for the clarification.
Finland is building a fifth neuclear power station.
There is some talk about a sixth one.
I have some recollection that France has a couple planned.
And the go-ahead has been given for a new wave of UK nuclear power stations.

PatrioticBriton · 11-01-2007, 07:15 AM

The Finns will build only one reactor. The French will not build any reactors. The Spaniards, the Germans, the Swedish, the Bulgarians and the Slovakians are now decomissioning their NEPs.

Our PM has okayed NEPs, but will not allow anyone to build more than 9 reactors, so that they produce only 20% of the electricity we use.

If the constitution of the European Union is ratified by 80% of member states, the EU, which is dominated by the Spaniards, the Germans and the Slovakians, will ban NEPs.

31-12-2006, 04:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 22,896	EU starts energy crisis in UK as oldest nuclear plants shut The world’s two oldest commercial nuclear power stations will both shut down today. Dungeness A (at Lydd-on-Sea near New Romney and Dymchurch in Kent) and Sizewell A (on the Suffolk coast) will close because the reprocessing plant at Sellafield (which makes safe spent fuel from the two power stations) is to shut in 2012. It is said that larger nuclear power stations operational in the UK are more efficient than the two which close today. It will take 40-years before ‘final clearance’ is given to the sites occupied by Dungeness A and Sizewell A. Dungeness A opened in 1965. Dungeness B (which has two reactors) started working in 1983 and will close in 2008. Sizewell A opened in 1958. The closure date of Sizewell B – which opened in 1995 – has not yet been announced. All British nuclear power stations presently working will close by 2023 and the discredited Blair Labour Government has left it extremely late to give the go ahead to a new generation of nuclear power stations to be constructed. The UK imports 10% of its electricity from France. The majority of gas used in the UK now comes from foreign countries. The EU is forcing the UK to shut down capable and efficient coal-fired power stations claiming they cause pollution - but the real reason the EU is pressurising the British Government to close them is so as to make the UK more reliant on energy provided from continental europe. There is actually enough coal in the world to supply industrial nations like the UK for two centuries at prices lower than gas. The UK is about to experience a shortage of nuclear power and (because of EU orders) the disappearance of its power stations run on cheap coal imported from continents other than europe. Thanks to Labour and the EU – the UK is now heavily reliant on expensive gas piped through unstable eastern european and EU nations (which is what the EU wants). Those countries could cut off gas supplies to the UK without notice meaning that gas-fired power stations in the UK producing electricity would cease to work. With a shortage of nuclear power as nuclear stations close; no alternative in the future such electricity from coal-fired power stations and wind turbines producing electricity for only a quarter of the time - the UK could face power cuts and further rises in the price of energy.

31-12-2006, 04:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 22,896	China gobbling up world energy supplies at alarming rate Thank you for your agreement. Labour and the EU are to blame for the uncertainty over the future of our energy supplies. Yes, the articles you post Besoeker are legible. Good of you to give us the chance to read them. On coal - when I said there was 200 years' of coal supplies left in the world I was quoting a Professor who was interviewed on TalkSport radio's James Whale programme several weeks ago. There's no doubt that China is gobbling up world energy reserves at an alarming rate. And as India industrialises that large nation (in population terms) will help bring forward the date when supplies of coal, oil and gas are exhausted (at least supplies that are economic to extract). The future is nuclear power (and possibly nuclear fusion if they can manage it) and biofuels - with vehicles running on biofuels, electric or hydrogen power. I was encouraged to hear the other day that someone has managed to invent and operate an electric car capable of travel at very high speed. If what I heard is accurate, then this a major development.

10-01-2007, 05:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
Lazyguy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 520	Nuclear Energy Plants. I think. __________________ I STICK MY FINGERS IN MY EARS AND GO "LA LA LA LA LAA" WHEN THESE PEOPLE POST: PEOPLE WHO DON'T AGREE WITH ME PEOPLE I DON'T LIKE

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10-01-2007, 04:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
PatrioticBriton Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 108	The EU has already ensured that there will be no new NEPs on the mainland.

10-01-2007, 05:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
PatrioticBriton Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 108	Nuclear electric plants. Did you guys know the EU forced the Bulgarians to shut down the 6 reactors they operated until 2006?

11-01-2007, 07:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
PatrioticBriton Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 108	The Finns will build only one reactor. The French will not build any reactors. The Spaniards, the Germans, the Swedish, the Bulgarians and the Slovakians are now decomissioning their NEPs. Our PM has okayed NEPs, but will not allow anyone to build more than 9 reactors, so that they produce only 20% of the electricity we use. If the constitution of the European Union is ratified by 80% of member states, the EU, which is dominated by the Spaniards, the Germans and the Slovakians, will ban NEPs.