Nuclear future

With the twin problems of climate change and rising energy prices looming large, nuclear power is once again at the forefront of the UK's energy agenda.

Nuclear accounts for about 20 per cent of generation and it is unclear what will be able to cover this shortfall once existing facilities are retired.

Many nuclear plants are reaching the end of their lives. Five of the nine first-generation Magnox power stations, most of which were built in the 1960s, have already closed after operating safely beyond their expected lives.

The rest of the country's 12 plants, which use mainly second-generation advanced gas-cooled reactors, will all have closed by 2023. The last plant to come online, in 1990, was the UK's single pressurised water reactor Sizewell B.

Although this might suggest a sector in decline, in truth, the reality is different. Following the positive signals in the government's Energy White Paper last year, most within the industry are confident that the country's nuclear generation capacity is soon to expand, provided the thorny issue of dealing with waste is dealt with.