Sustainable development and nuclear power

The United Kingdom Government's strategy aimed at securing sustainable development has recently been published, and is analysed here by the Energy Issues Adviser, for the British Nuclear Industry Forum. The energy framework aims to ensure secure supplies of energy at competitive prices and to minimise possible adverse environmental impacts of energy use. It is argued here that both of these aims will be promoted by the continued and growing use of nuclear power in the United Kingdom. As the cost of nuclear electricity depends chiefly on the price of uranium, which is likely to stabilize due to increased supplies from nuclear weapons destruction, uranium recycling and mixed oxide fuel reprocessing, it is unlikely that world fuel price inflation will affect these costs. Secondly, nuclear power is not associated with acid rain or the threat of global warming, so its environment protection claims can be substantiated. Indeed, unlike other fuel sources, nuclear power already pays for its waste and decommissioning procedures. (UK)