UK nuclear energy system study from 1956 to 2035

Abstract

The first nuclear reactor built in 1947 had a research purpose, but the first commercial reactor power station was built nine years later at Windscale, England. After that, 45 reactors were built until 1995 for electricity production. Currently, 30 of them are permanently shutdown and 15 are still operational which comprises around 19% of the United Kingdom (UK) energy matrix. Despite the last reactor built in 1995 was a PWR - SIZEWELL-B connected to the grid 23 years ago, the UK government plan to build new generation plants to supply 19 GWe until 2025 and aims to have an additional 16 GWe until 2023. Nevertheless, half of the current capacity should be retired by 2025 and the rest of the AGR generation until 2030. Therefore, the UK nuclear energy system is modeled taking into consideration the retirement and construction of different reactors. The results show the UK nuclear energy system and the reactor transition from old AGRs to a new generation of nuclear reactors. Also, economic features and spent fuel produced due to the nuclear activity up to 2035 are presented.