Germans to invest £20bn in new UK nuclear plants
Germany's two largest power companies joined forces yesterday and announced an ambitious plan to build at least four nuclear reactors in the UK at an estimated cost of £20 billion.
15 Jan 2008
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/b ... 519752.ece
German companies plan 'at least 4 nuclear reactors' in UK
Moderator: Peak Moderation
German companies plan 'at least 4 nuclear reactors' in UK
No surprise German owned companies are interested in developing nuclear plants in the UK; no great prospects at home. Though, given recent events, I wouldn't be surprised if Germany started rethinking its "nuclear phase out".
Given the collapse of the pound, these power stations have just become 25% more expensive (assuming £ stays at its current level)
With the cost over runs on the finnish project, I suspect that these companies will be expecting the government to underwrite/provide the capital.
Last years goverment report assume £3.5bn per plant producing power at £55 MWh. The price of nuclear power is a function of build cost & cost of finance. The above headline assumes each one at £5bn and as for the cost of capital......
Current base load is about £55 MWh, so don't expect electricity to fall when all that lovely cheap oil & gas and nuclear power works its way through
With the cost over runs on the finnish project, I suspect that these companies will be expecting the government to underwrite/provide the capital.
Last years goverment report assume £3.5bn per plant producing power at £55 MWh. The price of nuclear power is a function of build cost & cost of finance. The above headline assumes each one at £5bn and as for the cost of capital......
Current base load is about £55 MWh, so don't expect electricity to fall when all that lovely cheap oil & gas and nuclear power works its way through
"The General Electric ABWR was the first third generation power plant approved. The first two ABWR's were commissioned in Japan in 1996 and 1997. These took just over 3 years to construct and were completed on budget."
http://nuclearinfo.net/Nuclearpower/Web ... clearPower
Cant find anything about the two under budgets atm, will keep looking
However, just to make sure no one accuses me of bias.
"Two additional ABWR's are being constructed in Taiwan. However these have faced unexpected delays and are now at least 2 years behind schedule."
It also confirms the standardised design bit.
Rather than building dozens of identical reactors, every one is different enough to require custom built parts and huge amounts of design checking for safety reasons.
http://nuclearinfo.net/Nuclearpower/Web ... clearPower
Cant find anything about the two under budgets atm, will keep looking
However, just to make sure no one accuses me of bias.
"Two additional ABWR's are being constructed in Taiwan. However these have faced unexpected delays and are now at least 2 years behind schedule."
It also confirms the standardised design bit.
Rather than building dozens of identical reactors, every one is different enough to require custom built parts and huge amounts of design checking for safety reasons.
I'm a realist, not a hippie
That's an important point. Though it could be years before there is any actual building on sites and they wouldn't be up and running until the 2020s. I'd be amazed if the UK is not in the Euro before too long, if only because those who lend us money are dropping hints they won't prop up the pound indefinitely. (The return of Peter Mandelson was an indication of the direction things are going in. If the Tories bring back pro-Euro Ken Clarke as Shadow Business Secretary that'll be another.)IanG wrote:Given the collapse of the pound, these power stations have just become 25% more expensive (assuming £ stays at its current level)
David Cameron ready to gamble on a Ken Clarke comeback
David Cameron is preparing to face down the Conservative Right and hand Ken Clarke the business brief to raise the party’s profile during the recession, The Times has learnt.
14 Jan 2009, The Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/p ... 512085.ece
The vast majority of the componants could be fabricated here if its cost effective or would have been anyway.
The figure of £3.5b per reactor (should) include everything from construction staff wages and concrete to the reactor core.
The concrete and labour was never going to be billed in Yen, even if the reactor core still is.
Joining the Euro isnt some universal panacea that will solve all our problems, if anything it will exaserbate them, the recent 30% sterling devaluation would have been a million job losses.
Great if you have savings, not so great if you want a job, as Greece and Spain are finding.
If Clarke comes back, a few extremists will murmer, if they try and join the EURO the rank and file will up sticks to UKIP.
The figure of £3.5b per reactor (should) include everything from construction staff wages and concrete to the reactor core.
The concrete and labour was never going to be billed in Yen, even if the reactor core still is.
Joining the Euro isnt some universal panacea that will solve all our problems, if anything it will exaserbate them, the recent 30% sterling devaluation would have been a million job losses.
Great if you have savings, not so great if you want a job, as Greece and Spain are finding.
If Clarke comes back, a few extremists will murmer, if they try and join the EURO the rank and file will up sticks to UKIP.
I'm a realist, not a hippie