In the mid-1980s, the Conservative Government intended that Sizewell B (a PWR in Suffolk, operational since 1995) would be the first of a fleet of PWRs, but these plans were abandoned in the 1990s, mainly owing to falling gas prices.
The question of new nuclear build was effectively ruled out until 2006, when a review of energy policy reversed the Labour government’s opposition to new nuclear in England and Wales. Successive governments have since been supportive of new nuclear plants, which should be:
- Financed and built by the private sector (with government support mechanisms).
- Subject to internalised waste and decommissioning costs as per the international industry norm.
To facilitate new nuclear build, the government has implemented several measures:
- Streamlining the planning process (Planning Act 2008).
- Carrying out strategic siting assessments and strategic environmental assessments to identify suitable sites.
- Ensuring that regulators can pre-license reactor designs through the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process.
- Electricity market reform to provide long-term sales contracts for power (Contracts for Difference) and a capacity market.
- Legislating to ensure decommissioning and waste management liabilities will be met from operational revenue.