Boris Johnson’s environmental initiative, Build Back Better, seems to have fallen out of favor, with the British Prime Minister instead advocating for a ‘rush to nuclear’ strategy.
The United Kingdom is planning a so-called ‘rush to nuclear,’ with Prime Minister Boris Johnson pushing for the country to receive 25% of its energy from nuclear power stations.
Forget the Green New Deal
Nevertheless, the PM’s green plan appears to have slipped by the sidelines. Johnson is attempting to persuade private investors to put money into domestic nuclear, coal, and natural gas initiatives.
As per The Guardian, the British prime minister met with a handful of high nuclear specialists and corporate leaders to explore how to speed up the usage of nuclear power in the UK.
According to the journal, the country already gets approximately 16% of its power from nuclear energy.
However, with a number of locations about to retire, considerable investment in the industry is needed to maintain where it is now and to make it accountable for a third of the country’s energy production.
Not the greenest day for the British electricity grid. More solar or nuclear power would really help decarbonise on a still day like today. See https://t.co/Fl0ODGaJN4 for more@SolarEnergyUK_ @NIAUK any thoughts? pic.twitter.com/bUgN91mqYT
— British Electricity Tracker (MyGridGB.co.uk)🇬🇧⚡️ (@myGridGB) March 21, 2022
The administration, on the other hand, appears to be eager to put such investment in position.
One of the convention’s major goals is reportedly to emphasize British authorities’ “clear aim for more nuclear” so private companies are willing to engage in such projects.
Boris Johnson’s administration is apparently using Brexit to achieve this goal, as well, by attempting to amend EU-set insurance laws in order to make the investment process easier for retirement funds and insurers.
Another factor that appears to be propelling the UK’s shift to nuclear is the ongoing Ukraine situation. British authorities are reportedly eager to secure domestic sources of energy as international oil and gas prices skyrocket.
Boris Has It Figured Out
To that end, it appears Boris Johnson’s old green goal is being put on hold for the foreseeable future.
Alternate energy sources, such as nuclear, are being promoted in the hopes of lowering household and business utility rates.
In response to a short term shortage of fossil fuels, @BorisJohnson goes for the most expensive energy that takes decades to build. Arghhh. Invest in renewables! Cheap, plentiful, safe and decidedly British. https://t.co/6fGwr0N5JI
— Rob Stoneman (@RobStoneman) March 21, 2022
“As we go towards net-zero, expediting nuclear programs is very essential to keep energy prices down, eliminate expensive gas importing, and increase our energy security,” Tom Greatrex, the big boss of the Nuclear Industry Group, told The Guardian.
“That includes investing immediately in a fleet of small and large nuclear reactors, as well as renewable energy investment, to provide the clean, sovereign authority we require,” he concluded.
Despite paying lip service to his much-maligned environmental arena, Boris Johnson’s government pushed for increased private sector investment in fossil fuel developments.
Helen Whately, the Exchequer Chancellor to the Treasury, is said to have met with possible lenders on Monday to “emphasize the commitment of the government to local offshore natural gas production” and “insert more private sector investment into prospective North Sea oil and gas ventures.”
