NUCLEAR POWER GREEN LIGHT
White Paper: Meeting the Energy Challenge
White Paper: Meeting the Energy Challenge
Energy is an essential part of modern life. We need secure, clean and sufficient supplies if we are to continue to function as a modern society. But we face two long-term Challenges, tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions both in the UK and abroad and, ensuring the security of our energy supplies.
In May 2007 we launched a consultation to examine whether nuclear power could also play a role in meeting these long-term challenges, alongside other low-carbon forms of electricity generation. We set out our preliminary view that it is in the public interest to give energy companies the option of investing in new nuclear power stations.
Following the consultation we have concluded that, in summary, nuclear power is:
Low-carbon – helping to minimise damaging climate change,
Affordable – nuclear is currently one of the cheapest low-carbon electricity generation technologies, so could help us deliver our goals cost effectively,
Dependable – a proven technology with modern reactors capable of producing electricity reliably, and
Safe – backed up by a highly effective regulatory framework Capable of increasing diversity and reducing our dependence on any one technology or country for our energy or fuel supplies.
However, it is clear from responses to the consultation that there are also widespread concerns about nuclear power. These demonstrated that concerns do not arise from a lack of knowledge but are genuine concerns which need to be properly addressed.
The Government has considered these points. There are two elements in our response.
First, any contribution to meeting our objectives by nuclear power must be seen as one part of the overall approach. Our White Paper, "Meeting the Energy Challenge," sets out a range of measures, including measures to save energy and to strengthen the Renewables Obligation to ensure that renewable electricity plays a full role in taking the UK towards a low-carbon energy economy. The UK is committed to delivering its fair share of the European Council commitment to produce 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. The Prime Minister announced last November that we will launch a consultation this year on how we are to achieve our targets, and publish our full renewable energy strategy in spring 2009 once the EU directive implementing the 20% target has been agreed.
Second, we have examined the specific concerns raised in the consultation and the extent to which they can be met by the existing regulatory framework, or could be met through further development of our policies. Specifically we have taken the view that we should act to ensure that there: is a clear strategy and process for medium and long-term waste, management, with confidence that progress will be made are new legislative provisions setting out a funding mechanism, and that requires operators of new nuclear power stations to make sufficient and secure financial provision to cover their full costs of decommissioning and their full share of costs of waste management, and is a further strengthening of the resources of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) to enable it to meet a growing workload.
Having reviewed the evidence, and taking account of these points, the Government believes nuclear power should be able to play a part in the UK's future low-carbon economy. We have also carefully re-examined the impact of excluding nuclear power from our future energy mix. Our conclusion remains that not having nuclear as an option would increase the costs of delivering these goals and increase the risks of failing to meet our targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and enhancing energy security.
The Government believes new nuclear power stations should have a role to play in this country's future energy mix alongside other lowcarbon sources; that it would be in the public interest to allow energy companies the option of investing in new nuclear power stations; and that the Government should take active steps to facilitate this.
The Government has reached this decision in favour of allowing energy companies the option to invest in new nuclear power stations after careful thought and consideration of all the issues. Against the challenges of climate change and security of supply, I believe that the evidence in support of new nuclear power stations is compelling and that we should positively embrace the opportunity of delivering this important part of our energy policy.
John Hutton MP, January 2008