Nuclear power can be a touchy subject, one that seems to divide opinion. Many people believe it is unclean, controversial, and costly—and the 2011 Fukushima disaster showed the world just how unsafe nuclear can be; the meltdown of the power plant was the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in Ukraine, 25 years earlier.
On the other hand we still need nuclear power. It has decreased the U.K.’s dependence on fossil fuels such as gas, coal, and oil, which are in limited supply. And nuclear is a much more reliable energy source—for the same amount of fuel, nuclear produces much more energy than its carbon-based counterparts. And, as well as being cost effective, it also produces little waste.
The chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, now wants the U.K. to be a “global leader in innovative nuclear technologies.” Part of this plan involves spending 250 million pounds ($353.3 million) on a research and development program to put the U.K. in with a chance of “winning” the race to develop small modular reactors (SMR).
In the recent Budget, Osborne launched a competition for the “best value” design of small modular reactors for use in the U.K. The government has also said it plans to publish a small modular reactor delivery “roadmap” later this year and will allocate at least 30 million pounds ($42.4 million) for an advanced manufacturing program to develop nuclear skills.
All of which will pave the way towards building one of the world’s first small modular reactors in the U.K. in the 2020s.
Given the amount of investment, it’s clear SMRs are big business for government—and for good reason: experts suggest that small nuclear reactors may be the key to a low-carbon future.
What Are Small Modular Reactors?
Small modular reactors are essentially scaled down versions of full-sized nuclear reactors. They are defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency as having a power output of up to 300MW—which is enough to power around 428,000 700-watt washing machines. This compares to a full sized nuclear power reactor which boast around 1,000MW—more than three times as much.
Each person in the U.K. uses an average of 226 Watts throughout the year, and a typical SMR can theoretically produce enough power for roughly 1 million people using 226 Watts.
