Boris Johnson’s aspirations for a nuclear energy revolution have hit a new stumbling block after the Austrian government voiced doubts about a new reactor design’s safety.

Austria’s energy ministry warned the Business Department in a letter that the Sizewell C facility in Suffolk might face “serious incidents with high discharges.”

Hinkley and Sizewell, which are expected to be online in the 2027 and 2030s, employ a new reactor type known as EPR, which is intended to be cleaner and more efficient than older versions.

Experts agree that it is safe, and British authorities approved it for use. 

The Austrians, on the other hand, claimed it’s “debatable” if the Sizewell design can ensure that radiation stays within the reactor’s core.

They cautioned that the EPR reactor’s high-power limits the amount of time an operator has to react to a defect and avert a significant accident.

It may seem strange that another country would have concerns, however under the Espoo Convention, an international pact that ensures governments consult with one other on projects that potentially have environmental effects for many countries, Austria and other countries are entitled to comment on Britain’s nuclear ambitions.

Putting criticism aside, the introduction of these nuclear reactors aligns with the government’s  Energy Strategy, which said that the government wants to “lead the world once again” in nuclear power, reversing “decades of underinvestment.”   

We previously heard that the focus on nuclear power might lead to the building of up to eight new reactors at existing sites.  

 Currently, the UK has 11 operational nuclear reactors at five locations, and we generate about 15% of our electricity from 7 GW of nuclear capacity. 

The country is putting big focus on its energy production, as Energy Bills are at an all-time high for households across the UK, with the energy price cap being raised at an average of almost £600 annually. This is all due to rising wholesale gas prices, impacting families across the world.