Interesting nuggets from the Energy White Paper:

1. Aiming to bring at least one large-scale nuclear project to the point of Final Investment Decision by the end of
this Parliament, subject to clear value for
money and all relevant approvals.

2. "Remain open to further projects later if the nuclear industry demonstrates that it is able to reduce costs and deliver to time and budget."

3. Invest £1 billion in UK’s energy innovation programme to develop the technologies of the future such as advanced nuclear and clean hydrogen [Note: I wonder if the authors realise how splendidly well one begets the other...]

4. Consultation over the option to bring forward UK coal closure date to 2024. [Note: again, wonder whether the authors realise the potential to repurpose sites and infrastructure, including transmission, by re-powering coal plants with new clean heat source, without emissions.]

5. Nice recognition of nuclear power density -> "an energy-dense technology which provides large volumes of power from very little land area and can reduce system costs at low levels of emissions." See land use for H2 to substitute all UK oil and gas from different clean sources

6. Finance: RAB model remains credible for funding large-scale nuclear projects. Government finance during construction also under consideration. [This could significantly lower cost of finance. Makes total sense for de-risked project like SZC (units 3 & 4 to be built in UK).]

7. Quite a bit on SMRs and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs) - screenshots for ease of reference. All good stuff. Obviously we would like to see more urgency appropriate to the scale and timescales of the climate challenge, but let's be grateful for important steps taken today.

8. GW-scale new build, small and advanced fission, plus fusion, and the potential for re-powering fossil-fuelled thermal plants... there's a lot of action for nuclear energy *if* the industry can step up and deliver.

9. "A variety of production technologies will be required to satisfy the level of anticipated demand for clean #hydrogen in 2050..Likely include methane reformation w/ CCUS, biomass gasification w/ CCUS and electrolytic hydrogen using renewable or nuclear generated electricity."

This is all actually making me feel a bit hopeful. We still have a mountain to climb, but this is a move in the right direction. Thanks @beisgovuk Good work!