UK nuclear and fossil fuel energy infrastructure climate risks

摘要

The energy sector’s importance as critical national infrastructure means that the sector has been long prepared forrndisruptions, of which weather-related disruptions are generally well understood. Climate change means changingrnmean operating conditions, new and more frequent extremes and changing risk profiles. These changes have thernpotential to disrupt operations, while others may have long-term effects on the performance of infrastructure. Thisrnpaper reviews the current knowledge base surrounding climate impacts on the infrastructure and operations of thernnuclear, coal, oil and gas subsectors. We also present assessment of ‘confidence in the science’. The risks identifiedrnwithin the Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) were comprehensive; however, we note areas in need of furtherrninvestigation. Risks to upstream oil and gas are not covered in detail, and risks to new energy systems, in particularrncarbon capture and storage and unconventional fossil fuels, are not covered at all. Their detailed consideration in thernnext CCRA is recommended, alongside more systems approaches to risk assessment of the UK energy system.