Nuclear plants set for go-ahead
January 10, 2008
A new generation of nuclear power stations is expected to get the formal go-ahead from the government later.
The cabinet backs the move in principle, and Business Secretary John Hutton is to make a statement to MPs.
Gordon Brown said on Wednesday the UK needed a more independent power supply, but critics say new stations will be expensive, dirty and dangerous.
Existing nuclear power stations produce about 20% of the UK's electricity, but most are due to close by 2023.
Mr Hutton will make a statement to the House of Commons on the future of nuclear power at 1130 GMT.
Ministers say a decision is necessary now, as many nuclear and coal-fired power stations are due to close within 20 years.
The government's 2006 Energy Review said the private sector should "initiate, fund, construct and operate new nuclear plants".
It said the government would help by "addressing potential barriers" - for example, by making changes to planning laws.
The government will also publish an Energy Bill designed to reduce carbon emissions and secure the UK's power supplies.
Mr Brown said on Wednesday ministers were also looking at how to use more renewable energy sources.
Back in 2006, the then prime minister Tony Blair said new nuclear stations should be built to reduce carbon emissions and Britain's reliance on foreign oil and gas imports.
But that decision was put on hold after a High Court judged ruled the consultation part of the initial energy review was "seriously flawed", following a challenge by Greenpeace.
'No idea'
A second consultation finished in October but that has also been criticised - Greenpeace says its lawyers will be examining the government's statement.
The campaign group claims research shows that even 10 new reactors would cut the UK's carbon emissions by only about 4% some time after 2025.
"Going for nuclear allows politicians like Gordon Brown to project the impression that they are taking difficult decisions to solve difficult problems when they are doing nothing of the sort," said Greenpeace's executive director John Sauven.
Environmental campaigners are also concerned that a concentration on nuclear power will deflect attention and funding from development of renewable energy and "carbon capture" projects.
Tony Juniper, director of Friends of the Earth, said the government's decision to push ahead with nuclear power was "irrational and unfortunate".
"Climate change is the biggest threat the planet faces. If the Government is serious about tackling it we must stop tinkering in the margins put in place strong policies to support renewable energy," he said.
Meanwhile, Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas said the government's "love affair with nuclear" was "a dangerous, irresponsible and costly distraction from the real challenge of tackling climate change".
Malcolm Grimston, of the Royal Institute For International Affairs, said the time had come for the government to make a decision.
"It's a very tight timescale now. We've spent an awful long time discussing this, we had a white paper in 2003 on this, we had another white paper last year.
"We've run the consultation twice now. It really is time that some of these decisions were taken."
Professor Bill Banks, deputy president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said he was concerned about finding the necessary expertise to handle the nuclear technology.
"It's all right saying that we're going to build several nuclear power stations but where is the expertise going to come from?
"It's not sitting there, waiting to be tapped at the moment. It'll take several years before the skills base is there among the younger generation for the building of these stations."
Cost concerns
The Conservative Party backs nuclear power but says it should go ahead without subsidy, the Liberal Democrats reject its use because of the risk of accidents and what they describe as "the long-term legacy of waste".
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: "The government must be honest about how much it will cost to build and run new nuclear power stations and who is going to pick up the bill."
But Dougie Rooney of the Unite union called for "a bold vision with clear deadlines to enable companies to plan for new nuclear reactors".
He said, with the right support, the first new nuclear reactor could be built and generating electricity by 2018.
Although energy policy is not devolved, Scottish ministers have control of the planning system and also have to give consent under the Electricity Act to the construction of new power stations above a certain size.
Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has said there is "no chance" of more nuclear power stations being built in Scotland.
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