By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 04:17 EST, 30 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:51 EST, 30 October 2012 . Up to six new nuclear power reactors will power 14million homes for 60 years following a massive deal announced yesterday. In the most significant boost yet for Government plans for a new network of atomic power stations, Japanese engineering giant Hitachi took on a project to construct plants in Wales and Gloucestershire. The £700million deal will create 12,000 jobs for construction workers, engineers and other skilled employees, and spark a broader multi-billion-pound investment in the nuclear industry. Deal: Masaharu Hanyu, Hitachi's vice president and executive officer, at a news conference in Tokyo as it confirms it is to buy Horizon Nuclear Power . Two British firms, power systems provider Rolls-Royce and engineering services group Babcock International, will work with Hitachi on the project. Britain currently has ten nuclear power stations, generating a total of ten gigawatts of electricity, around 19 per cent of Britain’s electricity needs. By 2023, all but one – Sizewell B in Suffolk – will have become obsolete. This could trigger an energy crisis, as one third of Britain’s old-fashioned coal-fired and oil-fired power stations will effectively be outlawed by environmental legislation at the same time. The future of the nuclear industry had . been thrown into doubt, however, by the decision of Germany’s E.ON and . RWE to pull out of developments in the UK. Energy Secretary: Ed Davey said the move was a 'vote of confidence' in UK energy policy . Now Hitachi is buying Horizon Nuclear Power – which has the rights to build reactors at Wylfa on Anglesey, North Wales, and Oldbury in Gloucestershire – from the German firms. Ministers and unions hailed the deal, but green campaigners described it as a ‘risky and expensive gamble.’ David Cameron said the announcement was a ‘decades-long, multi-billion-pound vote of confidence’ in the UK. The Prime Minister added: ‘It will support up to 12,000 jobs during construction and thousands more permanent highly skilled roles once the new power plants are operational, as well as stimulating exciting new industrial investments in the UK’s nuclear supply chain.’ Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said: ‘Hitachi bring with them decades of expertise, and are responsible for building some of the most advanced nuclear reactors on time and on budget, so I welcome their commitment to helping build a low-carbon secure energy future for the UK. I particularly welcome Hitachi’s firm commitment to involve the UK supply chain and local workforce. ‘New nuclear isn’t only about keeping the lights on and emissions down, it’s an industrial strategy with big potential wins.’ The minister said there had been a ‘huge amount of interest’ from across the world in buying Horizon, adding that the UK could now become a ‘springboard’ for nuclear development in other countries. He stressed there would be no public subsidy and that developers would be responsible for decommissioning costs. Mr Davey added: ‘We have made it very clear that there will be no public subsidy for new nuclear. There is no taxpayer subsidy in this at all.’ Hitachi and ministers played down safety fears in the wake of last year’s Fukushima power plant meltdown in Japan, pointing to the UK’s strong regulatory regime and the company’s track record in building safe nuclear plants. Tatsuro Ishizuka, vice-president of Hitachi, said the company would invest billions of pounds in UK nuclear operations, adding: ‘Our aim is to build safe nuclear power stations, on time and on budget, to provide long-term, affordable energy.’ Investment: Hitachi plans to employ its advanced boiling water technology, which is already in use in four reactors in Japan . However, Hitachi uses an advanced boiling water reactor for its plants – different from existing nuclear plants in Britain – raising concerns that it could take years to approve the projects. Mike Clancy, general secretary-designate of the Prospect union, said: ‘While Hitachi’s advanced boiling water reactor design has yet to undergo the UK’s generic design assessment approval process, it is a proven technology and therefore any construction in the UK will benefit from lessons learned from its construction  in Japan.’ Unite national officer Kevin Coyne said: ‘This is good news for the UK nuclear industry, for jobs and for a low-carbon future. ‘There are massive job opportunities here in the UK and we urge Hitachi to maximise the UK  supply chain.’ Greenpeace energy campaigner Leila Deen said: ‘It speaks volumes about the UK’s struggling nuclear programme that the Government is promoting a reactor that’s years from being granted UK safety approval and is designed by the company that helped build Fukushima.’ The Government has plans to develop new nuclear reactors on eight sites, but until yesterday had struggled to persuade companies to invest. The move by Japanese giant Hitachi to build new reactors in the UK has led to renewed calls by environmentalists for the nuclear programme to be abandoned. Hitachi's advanced boiling water reactor is different from existing nuclear plants in Britain and from designs being developed by other companies for sites here, prompting claims it will take years to approve the projects. Greenpeace energy campaigner Leila Deen said: 'It speaks volumes about the UK's struggling nuclear programme that the Government is promoting a reactor that's years from being granted UK safety approval and is designed by the company that helped build Fukushima. 'Instead of waiting years to find out how much billpayers will end up subsidising this project, the Government should join Japan and Germany, abandon nuclear, and invest instead in clean, renewable energy.' Friends of the Earth's Guy Shrubsole said: 'This is a risky and expensive gamble for Hitachi that other energy firms are unwilling to take - and contrary to the promises the coalition has made, the public will end up funding it. 'Nuclear has always delivered late and over budget, and crucially it won't reduce emissions until the 2020s, when to tackle climate change, we need emissions cuts to happen straight away.' He added: 'Last night's nuclear safety alert in the face of hurricane Sandy was a stark reminder of Fukushima and how vulnerable our energy infrastructure can be.' Hitachi said there were four advanced boiling water reactors in Japan, all of which were delivered on time, and another four under construction in Japan and Taiwan. The design is based on previous boiling water reactors, using water heated directly by the nuclear core to create steam to drive electricity turbines, of which there are 84 worldwide including in the US, Germany, Netherlands and India. The reactors at Fukushima, where nuclear disaster struck when the site was hit by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011, were also boiling water reactors. But Professor Andrew Sherry, director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the University of Manchester, said the reactors at Fukushima dated back to the 1960s. 'The design will have advanced significantly between the 1960s and 2000s.' Professor Paul Howarth, director of the National Nuclear Laboratory, said boiling water reactors had to conform to the same safety standards as other plants, which the UK understood well. But he said the UK would need to train up operators so they understood the 'subtly' different requirements of boiling water reactors. Prof Sherry said he thought today's announcement was very good news for the UK, which had challenging targets to cut carbon that required the development of nuclear as well as renewables. But he said the need for a nuclear renaissance would not lead to corners being cut or decisions rushed through, saying 'that couldn't happen in the UK'. Future: The existing power station at Wylfa, on Anglesey, where Hitachi will build new reactors .
Japanese firm to buy Horizon Nuclear Power from German owners E.ON and RWE npower .
Hitachi intends to progress plans to build reactors on Anglesey, North Wales, and in Gloucestershire .
David Cameron said the deal represents a 'multi-billion pound vote of confidence in the UK'
By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 04:17 EST, 30 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:51 EST, 30 October 2012 . Up to six new nuclear power reactors will power 14million homes for 60 years following a massive deal announced yesterday. In the most significant boost yet for Government plans for a new network of atomic power stations, Japanese engineering giant Hitachi took on a project to construct plants in Wales and Gloucestershire. The £700million deal will create 12,000 jobs for construction workers, engineers and other skilled employees, and spark a broader multi-billion-pound investment in the nuclear industry. Deal: Masaharu Hanyu, Hitachi's vice president and executive officer, at a news conference in Tokyo as it confirms it is to buy Horizon Nuclear Power . Two British firms, power systems provider Rolls-Royce and engineering services group Babcock International, will work with Hitachi on the project. Britain currently has ten nuclear power stations, generating a total of ten gigawatts of electricity, around 19 per cent of Britain’s electricity needs. By 2023, all but one – Sizewell B in Suffolk – will have become obsolete. This could trigger an energy crisis, as one third of Britain’s old-fashioned coal-fired and oil-fired power stations will effectively be outlawed by environmental legislation at the same time. The future of the nuclear industry had . been thrown into doubt, however, by the decision of Germany’s E.ON and . RWE to pull out of developments in the UK. Energy Secretary: Ed Davey said the move was a 'vote of confidence' in UK energy policy . Now Hitachi is buying Horizon Nuclear Power – which has the rights to build reactors at Wylfa on Anglesey, North Wales, and Oldbury in Gloucestershire – from the German firms. Ministers and unions hailed the deal, but green campaigners described it as a ‘risky and expensive gamble.’ David Cameron said the announcement was a ‘decades-long, multi-billion-pound vote of confidence’ in the UK. The Prime Minister added: ‘It will support up to 12,000 jobs during construction and thousands more permanent highly skilled roles once the new power plants are operational, as well as stimulating exciting new industrial investments in the UK’s nuclear supply chain.’ Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said: ‘Hitachi bring with them decades of expertise, and are responsible for building some of the most advanced nuclear reactors on time and on budget, so I welcome their commitment to helping build a low-carbon secure energy future for the UK. I particularly welcome Hitachi’s firm commitment to involve the UK supply chain and local workforce. ‘New nuclear isn’t only about keeping the lights on and emissions down, it’s an industrial strategy with big potential wins.’ The minister said there had been a ‘huge amount of interest’ from across the world in buying Horizon, adding that the UK could now become a ‘springboard’ for nuclear development in other countries. He stressed there would be no public subsidy and that developers would be responsible for decommissioning costs. Mr Davey added: ‘We have made it very clear that there will be no public subsidy for new nuclear. There is no taxpayer subsidy in this at all.’ Hitachi and ministers played down safety fears in the wake of last year’s Fukushima power plant meltdown in Japan, pointing to the UK’s strong regulatory regime and the company’s track record in building safe nuclear plants. Tatsuro Ishizuka, vice-president of Hitachi, said the company would invest billions of pounds in UK nuclear operations, adding: ‘Our aim is to build safe nuclear power stations, on time and on budget, to provide long-term, affordable energy.’ Investment: Hitachi plans to employ its advanced boiling water technology, which is already in use in four reactors in Japan . However, Hitachi uses an advanced boiling water reactor for its plants – different from existing nuclear plants in Britain – raising concerns that it could take years to approve the projects. Mike Clancy, general secretary-designate of the Prospect union, said: ‘While Hitachi’s advanced boiling water reactor design has yet to undergo the UK’s generic design assessment approval process, it is a proven technology and therefore any construction in the UK will benefit from lessons learned from its construction  in Japan.’ Unite national officer Kevin Coyne said: ‘This is good news for the UK nuclear industry, for jobs and for a low-carbon future. ‘There are massive job opportunities here in the UK and we urge Hitachi to maximise the UK  supply chain.’ Greenpeace energy campaigner Leila Deen said: ‘It speaks volumes about the UK’s struggling nuclear programme that the Government is promoting a reactor that’s years from being granted UK safety approval and is designed by the company that helped build Fukushima.’ The Government has plans to develop new nuclear reactors on eight sites, but until yesterday had struggled to persuade companies to invest. The move by Japanese giant Hitachi to build new reactors in the UK has led to renewed calls by environmentalists for the nuclear programme to be abandoned. Hitachi's advanced boiling water reactor is different from existing nuclear plants in Britain and from designs being developed by other companies for sites here, prompting claims it will take years to approve the projects. Greenpeace energy campaigner Leila Deen said: 'It speaks volumes about the UK's struggling nuclear programme that the Government is promoting a reactor that's years from being granted UK safety approval and is designed by the company that helped build Fukushima. 'Instead of waiting years to find out how much billpayers will end up subsidising this project, the Government should join Japan and Germany, abandon nuclear, and invest instead in clean, renewable energy.' Friends of the Earth's Guy Shrubsole said: 'This is a risky and expensive gamble for Hitachi that other energy firms are unwilling to take - and contrary to the promises the coalition has made, the public will end up funding it. 'Nuclear has always delivered late and over budget, and crucially it won't reduce emissions until the 2020s, when to tackle climate change, we need emissions cuts to happen straight away.' He added: 'Last night's nuclear safety alert in the face of hurricane Sandy was a stark reminder of Fukushima and how vulnerable our energy infrastructure can be.' Hitachi said there were four advanced boiling water reactors in Japan, all of which were delivered on time, and another four under construction in Japan and Taiwan. The design is based on previous boiling water reactors, using water heated directly by the nuclear core to create steam to drive electricity turbines, of which there are 84 worldwide including in the US, Germany, Netherlands and India. The reactors at Fukushima, where nuclear disaster struck when the site was hit by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011, were also boiling water reactors. But Professor Andrew Sherry, director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at the University of Manchester, said the reactors at Fukushima dated back to the 1960s. 'The design will have advanced significantly between the 1960s and 2000s.' Professor Paul Howarth, director of the National Nuclear Laboratory, said boiling water reactors had to conform to the same safety standards as other plants, which the UK understood well. But he said the UK would need to train up operators so they understood the 'subtly' different requirements of boiling water reactors. Prof Sherry said he thought today's announcement was very good news for the UK, which had challenging targets to cut carbon that required the development of nuclear as well as renewables. But he said the need for a nuclear renaissance would not lead to corners being cut or decisions rushed through, saying 'that couldn't happen in the UK'. Future: The existing power station at Wylfa, on Anglesey, where Hitachi will build new reactors .
buying Horizon Nuclear Power – which has the rights to build reactors at Wylfa on Anglesey, North Wales, and Oldbury in Gloucestershire – Cameron said the announcement was a ‘decades-long, multi-billion-pound vote of confidence’ in the UK. The Prime Minister added: Investment: Hitachi plans to employ its advanced