A significant portion of the UK’s nuclear reactors, approximately 58%, are currently inactive, leaving a large part of the nation’s nuclear energy capacity untapped.
Out of the nine nuclear reactors in the UK, six are undergoing maintenance, as reported by the Nuclear Industry Association.
On a recent Wednesday, the UK predominantly depended on gas for its electricity generation, contributing to 59% of the nation’s power.
On the same day, wind energy provided 15% of the electricity to the grid, while a combination of biomass, solar, and coal generated around 20%.
With most of the nuclear reactors not operational, nuclear energy contributed only 6% to the electricity grid.
The shutdown of four reactors was attributed to a malfunction in the boiler pipework at Heysham 1 in Lancashire.
This included the temporary closure of two reactors at Heysham and two at Hartlepool.
EDF, the managing company, anticipates that all four reactors will resume operations by early February.
The French energy firm decided to temporarily halt the reactors to allow for an inspection of the issue.
Additionally, two other reactors, one at Torness in Scotland and another at Heysham 2, are offline for scheduled maintenance and are expected to be operational by the end of January.
Eight of the UK’s current nuclear reactors are slated for retirement within this decade, while two new projects are underway at Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C.
The combination of outages and the ageing nuclear fleet has led to discussions about the necessity for additional nuclear plants in the UK.
To ensure the grid’s efficient operation, the government aims to increase nuclear power fourfold by 2050.
However, the construction of new nuclear plants could face significant delays and budget increases.
