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Hopes and costs are high for UK’s nuclear energy future

Workers work at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Sites like the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant have become integral to the U.K. government’s “net zero” by 2050 strategy. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

An employee works at the site of a nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Sites like the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant have become integral to the U.K. government’s “net zero” by 2050 strategy. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A worker works at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Sites like the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant have become integral to the U.K. government’s “net zero” by 2050 strategy. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Workers work at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Sites like the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant have become integral to the U.K. government’s “net zero” by 2050 strategy. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Workers work at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Some experts believe the future of large nuclear plants, particularly in Europe, will hinge in part on the success of Hinkley. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Workers work at the construction site of a turbine at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Some experts believe the future of large nuclear plants, particularly in Europe, will hinge in part on the success of Hinkley. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Workers have lunch at the canteen of the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Around 8,000 workers, many of them currently living on-site, work a 24-hour shift pattern seven days a week. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Workers walk at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Some experts believe the future of large nuclear plants, particularly in Europe, will hinge in part on the success of Hinkley. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A worker walks past the construction of a nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Hinkley Point C is set to be one of the the biggest power stations in Britain and will generate 7% of the country’s electricity. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Employees work at the construction site of a nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Hinkley Point C is set to be one of the the biggest power stations in Britain and will generate 7% of the country’s electricity. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

An employee walks at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station construction site in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. The Hinkley Point C project is estimated to cost up to 26 billion pounds ($30 billion) and is set to be completed in 2027. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A worker works at a construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. The Hinkley Point C project is estimated to cost up to 26 billion pounds ($30 billion) and is set to be completed in 2027. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Workers practice at the control center training area at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Hinkley Point C is set to be one of the the biggest power stations in Britain and will generate 7% of the country’s electricity. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A worker walks at the construction site of a nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Nuclear power is generated through fission, the process of splitting uranium atoms. The energy released by fission turns water into steam to spin a turbine that generates electricity, a process which doesn’t emit planet-warming gases into the atmosphere.

Nigel Cann, project delivery director of Hinkley Point C, poses in front of the construction site of a nuclear reactor at Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. “We understand our responsibility to get this plant generating as quickly as possible," said Cann. “We feel that pressure, we feel the responsibility, but we will never compromise safety or quality.” (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Employees work at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Nuclear power is generated through fission, the process of splitting uranium atoms. The energy released by fission turns water into steam to spin a turbine that generates electricity, a process which doesn’t emit planet-warming gases into the atmosphere. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Employees look up at the construction site of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, England, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Sites like Hinkley have become integral to the U.K. government’s “net zero” by 2050 strategy. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Hopes and costs are high for UK’s nuclear energy future