No home for nuclear power

Published on Saturday 2 August 2008 19:52

ADAM Ingram MP is reported as campaigning to keep British Energy's headquarters in Scotland in the event that EDF succeeds in its bid to take over the firm ('MP fears for British Energy HQ's future', Business, July 27).

Why should EDF maintain and/or develop their HQ for such a programme in Scotland, a partially devolved country whose Parliament and Executive is at best lukewarm to UK nuclear new-build?

The Scottish Executive on December 4, 2006, stated in response to the DTI consultation on the UK Energy Review: "The Scottish Executive clearly set out in its Partnership Agreement that it will not support the further development of nuclear power stations in Scotland while waste management issues remain unresolved."

Having spent an enjoyable 30 years with the nuclear power design and construction consortium which built the Hunterston B and Torness nuclear power stations and also the Inverkip oil-fired station, I am distressed to conclude that my native land, Scotland, today is politically an unlikely country in which to locate by choice the HQ of the UK nuclear newbuild programme.

Is Mr Ingrams oblivious to this situation?

Alan Shaw, Norwich