BNFL Warns Of Energy Crisis Britain could suffer an energy crisis similar to the shortage in the US which causes daily blackouts in California, British Nucelar Fuel Ltd told Sky News Online's Tim Webb. Closing down

A spokesman for the company said the Government needed to decide how it was going to replace its nuclear plants which are nearing their shelf life.

If action is not taken soon, he warned: "Some time in the future, someone will switch on a light and it won't come on." BNFL, which is regulated by the Government, provides a quarter of the country's energy.

The company currently runs seven older Magnox power stations which are nearing their 30-50 year shelf life after which it was agreed with the Government they would be shut down.

Complacent

The last is set to close in 2016. BNFL said they would be able to produce just three per cent of the nation's energy if the Government does not approve its new generation of power stations.

Earlier this week the Government ordered a widespread energy review which will be published by the end of the year.

The Department of Trade and Industry explained the thinking behind the review: "We have diverse sources of supply..however we must not be complacent.

"In future we expect to become increasingly dependent on imports of fuel and particularly gas which could eventually become a dominant source of our supplies."

Out of action

BNFL was announcing pre-tax losses before exceptional items of £210m for the year. It compares to profits of £74m for the previous year.

It blamed the losses on its Wylfa plant, which provides 40 per cent of the group's UK energy output, which was out of action for most of the year.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/storytemplate/storytoppic/0,,30800-1021568,00.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), June 28, 2001

Answers

Is it just me, or is that like asking Ford if there will be a shortage of cars in the future ?

-- nobody in particular (somebody@somewhere.com), June 28, 2001.