The main arguments for the continuation of nuclear power have already been discussed in earlier chapters, i. e. it offers a carbon-free energy source of energy via an established and proven technology. New plants are now needed for electricity generation to replace the plants that came on stream in the 1970s and which are now reaching the end of life. If new build programmes go forward, the issue is what plants to build? The drive for most new advanced evolutionary reactor designs is to achieve higher performance and safety by virtue of the design, rather than by simply improved operation which is often the only viable option available in the case for present generation plant. Satisfying these requirements is crucial to meet the increasing competition from natural gas electricity

generators, coupled with an increasing trend of de-regulation. Broad design objectives are considered in Section 7.3.