The UK and US have pledged to work together to strengthen energy independence and help European partners end Russia’s dependence on energy.
European countries have cut back on Russian oil and gas imports since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, posing a threat to supply shortages and unprecedented energy price increases. Connected.
In a meeting with US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in London on Monday, UK Energy Security Secretary Grant Shaps said the Russian aggression made Britain need greater energy independence.
He said this meant “powering the UK from the UK” by switching to domestic energy sources, including nuclear and renewables.
Shaps and Granholm said they would work together to undermine Putin’s ability to finance war through Russian energy exports and to assist European partners in efforts to end Russia’s dependence on energy.
Shaps said:
“The war will force Britain, the United States and countries around the world to become more energy self-sufficient than ever by moving away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown sources such as renewables and nuclear power. Today, I am committed to achieving that energy independence, fueled by my ambition to lower wholesale electricity prices in the long term.
“This will open up opportunities for UK and US companies to work together on the cutting edge of these technologies, while strengthening the historic partnership between our two countries.”
Granholm said the U.S. government “is acutely aware that continued overreliance on fossil fuels jeopardizes energy security and the solution lies in diversifying fuel sources through the deployment of clean energy.” There are,’ he said.
“The Biden-Harris administration has introduced powerful tools such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Act to cut costs and advance new energy technologies. We look forward to continuing to build on our long history of cooperation, our ambition for domestically grown security and greater independence,” she added.
Nuclear power plant
The British government has accelerated the development of nuclear power since the war broke out in Ukraine.
In November, Shaps, then business secretary, confirmed that the government had given the go-ahead for Sizewell C, a new nuclear power plant in Suffolk on the east coast of England.
France’s EDF Energy, which is building the Hinkley Point C reactor in Somerset, is a key partner in a £20 billion ($24 billion) project in which the Treasury will invest £700 million ($840 million).
China’s state-owned China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) initially held a 20% stake in Sizewell C, but Shaps said the Chinese company was “acquired out of the Sizewell deal.” said it was “no longer involved” in the project. .
China’s involvement in nuclear power in the UK dates back to an agreement signed by then-Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015.
But since then, the British government’s willingness to invest in Chinese infrastructure has waned. With the passing of the National Security Investments Act, it is no longer seen as acceptable for Chinese-owned companies to become key partners in major infrastructure projects in the UK.
liquefied natural gas
Despite US and UK government goals to transition to renewable energy, the US significantly increased its liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to the UK and continental Europe last year.
Kpler data shows that in the first 11 months of 2022, US LNG exports to Europe will rise by more than 137% from the same period in 2021, supplying more than half of Europe’s LNG imports and increasing the number of regions to 54. Helping us survive climate change. The plummeting rate of pipe shipments from Russia.
In December, Downing Street announced a new UK-US Energy Security and Affordability Partnership. The US is making a bid to reduce price volatility.
The United States will seek to export at least 9 to 10 billion cubic meters of LNG through UK terminals over the next year, more than doubling the level exported in 2021. It will be good for both of us,” he added. “
According to the UK government, the initiative has “short-term goals” of stabilizing energy markets and reducing demand, while building long-term resilience by accelerating the transition to “clean” alternative energy sources. trying to build
This includes promoting nuclear fuel as a “safe” and “reliable” part of the transition, promoting the development of clean hydrogen, and promoting international investment in offshore wind power and carbon capture.
Chris Summers and PA Media contributed to this report.