Sizewell-B and the future PWR programme

In the UK it was decided in 1978 to build PWRs in the future. Sizewell in Suffolk was selected as the site for the first station and the application for government consent to build was made in January 1981. After a long public inquiry, the construction has now started. Following a six-months commissioning period, first commercial operation of the station is expected in mid-1994. The current completion programme of 69 months to commercial operation compares with an original target of 72 months and the conservative assumption of 90 months on which the economic case for Sizewell-B was based put to the public inquiry. There is currently a need for some 3500 MWe of new capacity by 1995. By the end of the century the shortfall which needs to be made good will have risen to about 13000 MWe including Sizewell-B. As in France, the UK's PWR programme will be based on replication. After having built a series of four or five Sizewell-B replicas, a new design of Mark-2 PWR will follow. The developments to the second generation PWR are not expected to be very radical, and emphasis will be on improved economics and operational flexibility