News
Publish date: May 13, 2005
News
The British Energy was privatised during Margaret Thatcher, but in 2002, it was nearly bankrupt. Then the UK Government gave interest free loan to keep the company afloat. Therefore, today the UK government refuses to allocate the financing for the construction of the new nuclear plants. From 2012 to 2020 the UK will close down eight plants built in the 60s. The nuclear energy can drop from current 23.7% to 4% if no new nuclear plants are put in operation, the Expert magazine reported.
Just a few years ago the UK government was negative towards the nuclear plant construction to substitute the retired reactors, but due to the high oil prices and depleting oil resources in the UK zone in the Northern Sea, nuclear energy is becoming popular again in the Great Britain.
However, due to the high cost of the nuclear plants construction the British Energy and the banks would like to make reforms in the UK energy sector. According to the plans, the energy sector will be divided into three parts: nuclear power plants (30-35% of all electricity generation), coal and gas plants (45%), alternative energy (20%). The competition would be allowed inside the segments, but not between them. This could guarantee longterm economical effectiveness of the nuclear and alternative energy, the Expert magazine reports.
Throughout the past year, our mission at the Bellona Environmental Transparency Center has focused on two key, but intertwined issues—nuclear and radiation safety as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on, and the worldwide influence of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, which itself is actively involved in the war and has participated in the occupation of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant.
At the beginning of the year, reports in the German and Russian press suggested an approximate 70% increase in uranium imports from Russia to Germany in 2024. But does this reflect broader European trends? It does not. Overall, imports of uranium and nuclear fuel from Russia to Western countries actually dropped sharply in 2024. Unlike the situation in Germany, this is already an established trend.
A Lingen, Germany plant could begin producing nuclear fuel in cooperation with a subsidiary of Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, which is directly involved in the war in Ukraine and occupying the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.