UK – More Power from Wind than Nuclear

Before we all get too excited about the headline, I should say that this achievement was only managed for one day. Earlier this week, for one day only,  the UK’s wind farms generated more power than its nuclear power stations according to the National Grid. However this was no mean achievement and not only shows the power and development of wind in the UK, it also shows the weaknesses of nuclear energy. It was an unusual combination of good strong winds favouring wind farms and faults in nuclear plants. This pattern is likely to be repeated on other days and surely must call into question the UK’s reliance on nuclear energy rather than sustainable renewable energy sources.

At a time when the UK Coalition Government is nervous about next year’s general election and pandering to the grumbles of anti-wind lobbyists and petrochemical industry and cutting back on permissions for onshore wind farms, it is a blow for good when spinning turbine blades have kept the lights going rather than splitting atoms.

Tuesday of this week wind made up 14.2% of all generation and nuclear offered a mere 13.2%.  It’s not the only record that’s been broken: It follows another milestone on Saturday, when wind generated a record amount of power – 6,372 MW, again according to National Grid. This formed nearly one fifth of the the UK’s electricity use.

The situation whereby wind got one over on nuclear power was when a whopping eight out of the UK’s 15 nuclear reactors were offline.  The reasons included maintenance and refuelling at the Sizewell B reactor on the East Suffolk coast, along with Hunterson B Reactor 4, which should be back in operation again in November after maintenance work was required. At Dungeness B, one unit is being refuelled and the other is expected back online soon after being shut down after a fault on a boiler pump was discovered. The four reactors at Heysham and Hartlepool were taken offline in August after a crack was found on a boiler spine.

Heysham Nuclear Power Station Lancashire 300x1251 UK   More Power from Wind than Nuclear
Heysham Nuclear Power Station Shut due to Faulty Boiler

A government spokesman said a “diverse energy mix” was essential to the UK’s energy security:

“We’re preventing a predicted energy crunch by turning round a legacy of underinvestment and neglect.To deliver this, we need a diverse energy mix that includes renewable sources like wind and solar alongside nuclear and technologies like carbon capture and storage so we can continue to use fossil fuels in a cleaner way.”

Owen Paterson 242x3001 UK   More Power from Wind than Nuclear
Owen Paterson

The excellent wind output in the last few days, surpassing nuclear energy power production, must surely mean that the Government will look more favourably on wind and renewable energies for the UK. However last week the former environment secretary Owen Paterson (pictured above)condemned the wind industry for soaking up subsidies, producing a “paltry” amount of power and ruining landscapes. He called instead for a new generation of mini nuclear plants dotted around the country. And where will the electricity been generated when these reactors develop faults, need refuelling and maintenance? Wind.

Jennifer Webber, a spokeswoman for RenewableUK, the UK wind trade body, said:

“Wind power is often used as a convenient whipping boy by political opponents and vested interests. All the while, it’s been quietly powering millions of homes across the UK and providing a robust response to its vocal detractors.”

Jennifer Webber  300x2091 UK   More Power from Wind than Nuclear
Jennifer Webber

I second that sentiment!