Reading - Nuclear Power: Why the UK is Going Nuclear

The UK is making a huge push for nuclear power – the biggest in decades! The government recently announced plans to invest a massive £14.2 billion into building a new nuclear power station called Sizewell C in Suffolk. That's not all; they've also confirmed that Rolls Royce will be developing the UK's first ever "small modular reactors" (SMRs).

So, how does nuclear power actually work?

Imagine tiny building blocks of matter called uranium atoms. In a nuclear reactor, scientists hit these uranium atoms with even smaller particles called neutrons. This hit causes the uranium atoms to split apart. This splitting process is called nuclear fission, and it creates an enormous amount of energy in the form of heat.

This intense heat is then used to boil water, which turns into steam. This steam spins huge machines called turbines, and these turbines then produce electricity – the power we use in our homes and businesses!

Why is the UK investing more in nuclear power?

The UK government has a clear goal: to tackle climate change and reduce harmful gases in the atmosphere. In November 2024, the UK joined 30 other countries in a global promise to triple their nuclear power production by 2050.

Even though nuclear power uses a resource that isn't endless (like uranium), it doesn't create greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide or methane when it's operating. This is a big difference compared to power stations that burn coal or gas. Building the power stations does create some emissions from making steel and other materials, but overall, it's still much cleaner than fossil fuels over the long term.

Expanding nuclear power helps the government reach its climate change targets. However, it's important to know that new plants like Sizewell C or the SMRs probably won't be ready before the UK's goal of almost completely clean power by 2030.

Currently, the UK has nine nuclear reactors, but most are quite old, and eight of them are set to close by the end of this decade. Another large plant, Hinkley Point C, won't even start producing electricity until the early 2030s.

In 2024, nuclear power provided about 14% of the UK's electricity. But here's the crucial part: nuclear power provides "baseload" power. This means it offers a constant, reliable supply of electricity to the national grid, unlike wind or solar power which depend on the weather. This steady supply is vital for keeping our lights on all the time.

What are the plans for Sizewell C?

The government believes Sizewell C will create 10,000 direct jobs in areas like construction and hospitality, plus thousands more in other businesses. Once it's running, the plant is expected to power six million homes for 60 years!

Sizewell C will be built next to an existing nuclear plant, Sizewell B (operating since 1995), and near an old one, Sizewell A (closed long ago). The project is expected to cost around £20 billion in total and take at least a decade to build. The initial £14.2 billion only covers the next four years. While the government says they won't give a "blank cheque," there have been reports of rising costs for other projects, like Hinkley Point C, which might end up costing over £40 billion.

What about Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)?

SMRs work similarly to large power plants but are much smaller – they can produce up to a third of the power of a typical large reactor. Their key advantage is that they can be built in factories, then transported and put together on site. This could make them faster and cheaper to build in the future, although the first few will still be expensive.

One challenge with SMRs, like all nuclear power, is dealing with nuclear waste. This dangerous radioactive waste needs to be stored safely for hundreds of years, and the UK's main waste site, Sellafield, is already facing space and cost issues.

Rolls Royce won the competition to build the UK's first SMRs. The government is putting over £2.5 billion into this program, hoping it will create 3,000 skilled jobs and power three million homes. The first SMR location should be announced by late 2025, with connection to the power grid by the mid-2030s. Sites near airports, military bases, flood zones, or valuable natural areas will not be chosen.

Interestingly, only Russia and China currently have operational SMRs. In 2024, big tech companies like Amazon and Google showed interest in SMRs to power their energy-hungry data centers.

Is nuclear energy safe?

The International Atomic Energy Agency says nuclear power plants are "among the safest and most secure facilities in the world," with very strict safety rules.

However, there have been serious accidents in the past, releasing radioactive material. The worst was at Chernobyl in Ukraine in 1986. More recently, an earthquake and tsunami caused a partial meltdown at the Fukushima plant in Japan in 2011.

Even without accidents, the hazardous radioactive waste from nuclear power needs careful management and storage for many, many years. 

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VOCABULARY

massive (adjective): very large, huge

The company made a massive profit last year.

reactor (noun): a device used to control a nuclear chain reaction, producing energy

The nuclear power plant has two large reactors.

fission (noun): the act of splitting atoms to release energy

Nuclear fission is the process used in power plants.

turbines (noun): large machines with blades that are made to spin by a flow of water, air, or steam to produce power

Wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity.

tackle (verb): to deal with a problem or challenge

We need to tackle the issue of climate change urgently.

greenhouse gases (noun phrase): gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat, leading to global warming (e.g., carbon dioxide, methane)

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for the environment.

emissions (noun): gases or other substances sent out into the air

Car exhaust fumes are a major source of urban emissions.

operational (adjective): ready to be used; working

The new factory will be operational by next spring.

crucial (adjective): extremely important or necessary

It's crucial that we make a decision soon.

baseload (noun): the minimum level of electricity demand over a period of time

Nuclear power provides stable baseload electricity to the grid.

reliable (adjective): able to be trusted or depended on

Our old car is very reliable; it never breaks down.

hospitality (noun): the friendly reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers

The hotel is known for its excellent hospitality.

decommissioned (adjective): taken out of service, especially a nuclear power plant or a ship

The old naval ship was decommissioned after 40 years.

blank cheque (noun phrase): permission to spend as much money as you like, or to do whatever you think is necessary

The government won't give the project a blank cheque without seeing a detailed plan.

advantage (noun): something that helps you to be more successful than others

Being able to speak two languages is a big advantage in this job.

materialise (verb): to become real or appear, especially after being uncertain

His dreams of becoming a pop star never quite materialised.

hazardous (adjective): dangerous, especially to health or safety

Hazardous waste must be handled with extreme care.

stringent (adjective): (of regulations, requirements, or conditions) strict, precise, and exacting

The company has stringent safety regulations.

partial meltdown (noun phrase): a serious nuclear accident in which the fuel in a reactor core melts

The incident led to a partial meltdown of the reactor core.

ACTIVITIES

1 - Choose the best answer for each question.

2 - True or False?

3 - Do you think nuclear power is a good idea for your country, or do you have concerns? Explain why.