Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32098 on Nuclear Power, what estimate he has made of the proportion of clean electricity generated by nuclear energy by 2030.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, nuclear is estimated to have an installed capacity range of between 3 – 4 GW in 2030.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the emissions reduction potential of nuclear energy for the Clean Power 2030 plan.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the Clean Power Action Plan, electricity generated by renewables and nuclear power will form the backbone of a clean electricity system by 2030, supported by low carbon flexible sources of power. EDF has announced extensions to four of its existing nuclear plants, with Heysham 2 and Torness now due to generate until 2030. Hinkley Point C, the first nuclear plant under construction in the UK in a generation, is expected to see its first unit come online between 2029-2031.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate the Government has made of the cost of nuclear energy relative to renewable sources of power.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The latest published cost and technical assumptions for power technologies, including renewables and nuclear, can be found in the published Generation Costs series. [1]
Renewables and nuclear play different roles in a decarbonising system and full power sector modelling evaluates costs at the system level. For example, analysis of many power sector scenarios [2] indicates that a cost-effective system requires a mix of technologies.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/energy-generation-cost-projections#2023
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/modelling-2050-electricity-system-analysis
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of small modular reactors needed to power AI data centres across Britain.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government continues to assess future energy requirements, including the potential impact of powering datacentres. Consumption from datacentres has been forecast by NESO to increase and require an uninterrupted supply of electricity. The Government is committed to nuclear playing an important role in generating low carbon power and contributing to UK energy security. Alongside large-scale plants, such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, SMRs have the potential to supply the grid or to be a dedicated energy source for datacentres.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government plans to subsidise the building of small modular reactors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Great British Nuclear (GBN) is driving forward its SMR Technology Selection Process for UK deployment. This is a live, ongoing procurement based on fairness and transparency, and it is important GBN can deliver value for the British taxpayer.
Funding and financing arrangements for SMRs remain under consideration, with no decisions taken yet.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of small-scale nuclear production relative to larger plants.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is clear that nuclear power, including small modular reactors (SMRs), is and will continue to be an important part of the UK energy mix, providing secure, low carbon energy and thousands of skills jobs. Great British Nuclear is pushing forward with its SMR competition for UK deployment with final decisions to be taken this spring. As with all energy projects, the economic case for SMRs would be considered as part of any investment decision into the technology.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of storage capabilities of small modular reactors to power AI datacentres.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Consumption from datacentres has been forecast by NESO to increase and require an uninterrupted supply of electricity. SMRs have potential as a dedicated energy source for datacentres, given their potential to provide a near-constant supply of low-carbon electricity. SMRs do not have traditional storage capabilities, however some SMRs could be paired with thermal energy storage or grid-scale electricity storage to provide backup power and enhance their flexibility.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the environmental impact of running artificial intelligence technologies and the UK's Net Zero ambitions.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department regularly engages across Government to promote the sustainable development of AI technologies in line with the UK’s Net Zero goals. This includes inter-departmental collaboration through initiatives such as the recently announced AI Energy Council and AI Growth Zones, aimed at addressing the growing energy demands of AI through sustainable, efficient, and scalable solutions.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to protect private renters from potential evictions and rent hikes as unintended consequences of mandating all private rented accommodation meets EPC C by 2030.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is consulting on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The Renters’ Rights Bill will also put in place new regulations to protect tenants. This includes providing stronger protections to ensure that tenants are able to appeal excessive above-market rents, abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault evictions’, and moving to a simpler tenancy structure where all assured tenancies are periodic. These measures provide more security for tenants and enable them to challenge poor practice and unfair rent increases without fear of eviction.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential role of the oil and gas industry in (a) contributing to international climate finance pledges and (b) contributing funds to the just transition of works into green industries.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has made several spending announcements since July to deliver the UK’s 2019 pledge to spend £11.6bn in International Climate Finance between April 2021 and March 2026, and is supporting workers to move from carbon-intensive sectors to clean energy industries with initiatives like the Energy Skills Passport.
Additionally, the temporary Energy Profits Levy, which applies to upstream oil and gas producers, is expected to raise £12.6bn between now and 2030. This revenue will help support the transition, enhance energy security and independence, provide sustainable jobs, and help protect electricity bills against price shocks.