UK plans fossil fuel-free power grid by 2035 using nuclear energy
Al Jazeera
Fossil fuels will no longer be used to generate power by the middle of the next decade as the United Kingdom’s government tackles climate change and an energy supply crunch.
The U.K. will reserve a key role for nuclear power in the nation’s electricity system as a backup for renewables in a plan to phase out natural gas by 2035.
Fossil fuels will no longer be used to generate power by the middle of the next decade as the U.K. tackles the double threat of climate change and an energy supply crunch that has sent prices spiraling to record highs. The government says the plan is “a landmark move to end Britain’s dependency on volatile fossil fuels.”
The size of the task is huge. The U.K. remains heavily reliant on gas with 38% of electricity demand being met by the fuel. The government says that nuclear is a key part of reaching net zero but plans to get new projects built have been slow with financing a sticking point. Prime Minister Boris Johnson committed in December to supporting at least one large-scale nuclear project by 2025 and has been in talks with Electricite de France SA for almost 10 months trying to hammer out a deal.
