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As one data point, one of the UK's in-development nuclear power stations, Hinkley Point C, was announced in 2010, plans approved by the owner + government in 20

by corin_ 6y ago

As one data point, one of the UK's in-development nuclear power stations, Hinkley Point C, was announced in 2010, plans approved by the owner + government in 2016, and expected to be operational by 2025 (no idea if that's an accurate expectation or not). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkley_Point_C_nuclear_power_station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkley_Point_C_nuclear_power_... So a bit less than 20 years, even including the 6 years between announcing a site and actually confirming plans to go ahead with it.

londons_explore 6y ago
But the latest satellite images [1] show they're still laying flooring concrete, so there's no way it'll begin operations in 2025. [1]: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cru4YAkVvxyv8idc7 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cru4YAkVvxyv8idc7
- corin_ 6y ago
  I know little about the subject, and it would certainly make sense for it to be running late with a pandemic going on, but it seems like 5 years is a typical prediction from start of building to being in operation according to this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_nuclear_power_stations_in_the_United_Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_nuclear_power_station... The planning and getting approvals actually takes longer than the construction itself.
lorenzhs 6y ago
Hinkley Point C has been delayed until at least June 2026: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-27/edf-sees-delay-and-rising-bill-in-british-nuclear-plant-project https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-27/edf-sees-.... Another reactor of the same EPR model family that EDF is building in Flamanville, France, started construction in 2007 with commercial introduction originally scheduled for 2012 but now delayed to 2023 (no official statement with that date, but fuel loading is estimated only for the end of 2022 and it takes a few months after that). It's also five times over budget (€19.1bn, original estimate was €3.3bn, for one reactor with 1.6GW of electrical output). Yet another one, Olkiluoto in Finland, began construction in 2005 and is also not finished, with commercial introduction planned for 2022. Its cost is estimated at €11bn, but was supposed to be €3bn originally. The two operational ones, Taishan 1 and 2 in China, took 10 years of construction, too. It was planned to take less than 2 years.

by corin_ 6y ago

londons_explore 6y ago

But the latest satellite images [1] show they're still laying flooring concrete, so there's no way it'll begin operations in 2025. [1]: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cru4YAkVvxyv8idc7 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cru4YAkVvxyv8idc7

corin_ 6y ago
I know little about the subject, and it would certainly make sense for it to be running late with a pandemic going on, but it seems like 5 years is a typical prediction from start of building to being in operation according to this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_nuclear_power_stations_in_the_United_Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_nuclear_power_station... The planning and getting approvals actually takes longer than the construction itself.

lorenzhs 6y ago

Hinkley Point C has been delayed until at least June 2026: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-27/edf-sees-delay-and-rising-bill-in-british-nuclear-plant-project https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-27/edf-sees-.... Another reactor of the same EPR model family that EDF is building in Flamanville, France, started construction in 2007 with commercial introduction originally scheduled for 2012 but now delayed to 2023 (no official statement with that date, but fuel loading is estimated only for the end of 2022 and it takes a few months after that). It's also five times over budget (€19.1bn, original estimate was €3.3bn, for one reactor with 1.6GW of electrical output). Yet another one, Olkiluoto in Finland, began construction in 2005 and is also not finished, with commercial introduction planned for 2022. Its cost is estimated at €11bn, but was supposed to be €3bn originally. The two operational ones, Taishan 1 and 2 in China, took 10 years of construction, too. It was planned to take less than 2 years.