What are the advantages of nuclear energy?

Why use nuclear energy?

There's a huge and ongoing demand for electricity in the UK. Think about your everyday routine and how much of that relies on energy. We have a responsibility to keep powering our homes, workplaces and cities – but we also have a responsibility to the planet. So we need to make sure we are low-carbon and environmentally friendly.

We believe nuclear power has enough positives to be part of the solution and the benefits of nuclear energy may actually surprise you.

Is there anything positive about nuclear power stations? 

Although nuclear power stations take considerable investment to build, they have low running costs and longevity. This means they are particularly cost-effective. Most of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with nuclear power stations happen during construction and fuel processing, not when electricity is being generated.

Nuclear can help meet our country's demands

Uranium is the raw material used to create fuel – it comes from stable regions around the world and is widely available. This dependability means nuclear power is a long-term and low-carbon option.

However, we need enough power stations to process it. They last between 40 and 60 years after which they are decommissioned. Seven of the eight nuclear power stations in the UK are due to close by 2030. These create enough electricity to power 50% of the UK's homes (or around a fifth of all the electricity used in the UK).

Nuclear energy isn't only low-carbon, it's also reliable when compared to other low-carbon options. So when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow, nuclear takes over keeping the lights on around the UK. 

How is nuclear energy produced?

Nuclear energy is generated by turning the nuclear energy in uranium atoms into electrical energy. Read our detailed article about nuclear generation and exactly how electricity is made out of nuclear energy.  

Did you know that a single uranium fuel pellet, which is about the size of a peanut, can produce as much energy as 800kg of coal?

Is nuclear energy safe?

Safety is at the heart of everything we do. In our 42 years' operating history, there has never been an incident involving release of radiation offsite from any of our UK nuclear power stations. Nuclear power is one of the most highly regulated industries. In the UK, the industry is regulated by the Independent Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). You can find out more about everything we do to guarantee safety at nuclear power stations. 

Our experience in nuclear generation

We're part of the EDF Group – with 58 nuclear reactors in France and a total of 78 reactors across the world. In France, EDF has 50 years' experience in design, maintenance, operation and decommissioning of nuclear plants. As a Group, we're committed to advancing safety and technology of nuclear geneartion.