The United Kingdom is on the precipice of a severe energy crisis that could lead to widespread blackouts within the next five years, according to a report from think tank Public First. The research highlights the imminent closure of several power stations, leaving the country grappling with a significant shortfall in its power generation capacity.
The report, titled “Mind the Gap: Exploring Britain’s energy crunch,” and commissioned by Drax Power, the operator of the biomass-fuelled Drax power station in North Yorkshire, underscores the inadequacy of current measures to compensate for the impending loss of power stations. Four nuclear power plants, including Hartlepool in County Durham, Heysham I and II in Lancashire, and Torness in East Lothian, are scheduled to be decommissioned by April 2028. Additionally, the last remaining coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, is set to shut down in September this year.
Delays in the construction of Hinkley Point C, a new nuclear power station intended to alleviate the power deficit, further exacerbate the crisis. Originally slated to begin generating power in 2021, Hinkley Point C is not expected to come online until at least 2031. The project’s anticipated cost has ballooned from £18 billion to £35 billion since its initial approval.
Public First’s report warns that these closures and delays, coupled with the increasing demand from electric vehicles and heat pumps, could lead to a severe energy shortage. The rise in demand is expected to outpace the growth in alternative energy sources, which currently make up 56% of the UK’s supplies, falling significantly short of the government’s ambitious target of 95% by 2030.
French energy company EDF, responsible for managing all eight nuclear power stations in Britain, has announced that a decision regarding the potential extension of the lifespans of Hartlepool, Torness, Heysham I and II will be made by the end of the year.
In a related development, BBC Panorama has reported that Drax, the power company associated with the Public First report, has been burning wood from rare ‘old-growth’ Canadian forests. The revelation comes as Drax continues to receive £6 billion in green subsidies, despite its wood pellet-burning station emitting approximately 12 million tonnes of carbon annually, as disclosed by the BBC. The controversy surrounding Drax further complicates the UK’s pursuit of sustainable and reliable energy sources.
As the nation grapples with the impending energy crisis, questions loom over the government’s ability to navigate the complex landscape of energy policy and ensure a secure and sustainable power supply for the future. The threat of blackouts serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for strategic planning and decisive action to avert a potential energy catastrophe.