Following the UK’s decision to delay a Franco-Chinese project to construct a nuclear power plant, the Hinkley Point plant, this has led to speculation that the new government may be reviewing its energy strategy to increase the role of renewables.

Theresa May, Britain’s Prime Minister, has not given any reasoning behind the delay with a spokesman saying that it was “an extremely important to decision that we have to get right.”

Some critics of the project have cited the immense cost (estimated to be £18 billion which is around €21 billion or $23 billion) as well as the potential security concerns with the involvement of China’s chief energy group, CGN.

It has also been questioned if a nuclear plant is in fact the best way to tackle Britian’s energy needs as there has been many advances in renewables, with particular reference to wind power.

The Hinkley Point plant, which will be based in Somerset, has been projected to provide roughly 7% of Britain’s electricity needs, obviously helping the country to meet its climate change objectives as the government set the rather ambitious goal of cutting their carbon emissions by 57% (based on 1990 levels) by 2030.

Last year, around 30% of Britain’s electricity came from burning natural gases, 30% came from coal, 19% came from nuclear reactors and a further 19% from renewables (such as solar, biomass and hydroelectricity).

However, out of Britain’s 8 existing nuclear power plants, only 1 will still be in operation after 2030 as the polluting coal-fired power stations are due to be closed.

Although the Hinkley Point plant has been on the table for years, May has stated that the government will be investigating the project and hope to make a decision in the autumn. Experts are now calling for the development of a less polluting gas-power station and for more investment in electricity storage which should make wind power more feasible.

As mentioned in our news article yesterday, the government approved plans on Tuesday by Denmark’s Dong Energy to expand a wind farm in the North Sea which could produce almost as much electricity as the two reactors at Hinkley Point.

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