RWE reviews involvement in UK nuclear programme
The government's energy policy took another blow on Friday as major energy provider RWE reviewed whether to scale down or abandon its UK nuclear programme.
The German-owned utility, which owns the npower supply business, has started an internal probe of its plans to construct two possible atomic power stations at Wylfa in Wales and Oldbury in Gloucestershire.
The move follows a decision by SSE to pull out of a nuclear newbuild project in Cumbria, and the Guardian's revelation on Thursday that Scottish Power is preparing to shelve the UK's only pilot scheme for carbon capture and storage (CCS).
At the Conservative party conference this week, George Osborne questioned the "affordability" of the low-carbon agenda at a time of financial hardship, although there are binding commitments to meet European Union CO2 reduction targets.
The government has battled to encourage companies to construct a new generation of nuclear power stations with promises of a floor price on carbon. But it is facing a range of difficulties, not least caused by Germany, Japan and other countries abandoning atomic power after the Fukushima disaster...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/oct/07/rwe-uk-nuclear-powerNote that the Conservative Party questioning the ""affordability" of the low-carbon agenda" is only interested in developing two "low carbon" resources - coal and nuclear.
See also:
UK's second-biggest energy generator abandons quest to develop nuclear power
SSE ditches nuclear power for gas, wind and biomasshttp://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x311877