28 Jul (NucNet): Low-carbon electricity’s share of generation in the UK increased slightly in 2016 from 46.2% to a record 46.5% with nuclear generation up 2.7% compared to 2015, due to improved availability and fewer outages, according to government statistics released on 27 July 2017. The Digest of UK Energy Statistics shows that the UK’s 15 commercially operational nuclear reactors produced 21% of the UK’s electricity in 2016, with thermal renewables such as biomass accounting for 8.9%, broadly unchanged from 2015. Generation from wind, hydro and solar photovoltaics fell by 1.8% due to poorer weather conditions and accounted for just under 16% of generation. Generation from hydro sources fell by 14%, and onshore and offshore wind generation fell by 8.4% and 5.8% respectively. Overall, renewables’ share of generation was stable at 25.4% in 2016. The load factor of nuclear stations in 2016 was 78.4%, 3.3 percentage points higher than in 2015 and the highest since 80.1% in 1998. The statistics show that the UK remained a net importer of electricity, mostly through interconnection with France which produces most of its power, around 72%, from its 58 commercial nuclear reactors. Details online: http://bit.ly/2tJ6fMb
