Scotland could benefit from new nuclear stations south of the Border

Published on Monday 18 October 2010 14:49

THE debate over the future of Scotland's energy policy was reignited yesterday after the Westminster coalition announced eight potential sites for nuclear power stations.

The announcement puts the London government at odds with the SNP administration, which has pledged not to build any more nuclear power stations after the decommissioning of Dounreay and Torness, making it clear that it is willing to use devolved powers such as planning to block new installations.

Energy secretary Chris Huhne yesterday named eight possible locations for new stations, all of which will be in England, in the vicinity of existing plants.

Mr Huhne, part of a front bench Liberal Democrat team that fought the election on an anti-nuclear ticket, said diversity was the key to the government's energy policy.

He said: "I'm fed up with the stand-off between advocates of renewables and of nuclear which means we have neither. We urgently need investment in new and diverse energy sources to power the UK."

Reacting to yesterday's announcement, a Scottish Government spokesman said: "New nuclear power stations are expensive, with soaring decommissioning costs and the unresolved problem of storage of radioactive waste.

"The UK Government is today admitting it may have to subsidise nuclear, alongside other types of energy generation, confirming our view that new nuclear cannot be delivered without huge public subsidy.

"We would be deeply concerned if any new support mechanism acted as a front to subsidise nuclear and would vigorously oppose any attempt to divert money from renewables or carbon capture and storage."

The Scottish Government recently raised its renewable electricity targets from 50 per cent to 80 per cent by 2020.

Though Scotland is currently a net-exporter of energy, power created by the new nuclear powerplants could be used north of the border once they come on stream to the national grid.

A recent Scotsman survey showed less than a fifth of Scots are in favour of building new nuclear power stations Scotland.

But only 22 per cent believed Scotland's power needs can be met over the next 20 years without nuclear energy sources.

Scottish Labour's shadow minister for energy, Lewis Macdonald MSP, said: "The SNP's anti-nuclear policy fails to take account of global warming and runs the risk of costing Scotland highly-skilled jobs.

"Even the Scottish Government's own Council of Economic Advisers have warned it is wrong to rule out nuclear energy."

Gavin Brown, the Scottish Conservatives energy spokesman, said: "It is the SNP's blinkered dogma which is threatening to turn out the lights across Scotland by refusing to consider continued nuclear power as part of a balanced energy mix.If the SNP has its way, Scotland might go from being a net exporter of electricity to a net importer, dependent on nuclear power from across the border."

Last night, the Scottish Lib Dems insisted they "remain firm that nuclear energy is not needed or wanted in Scotland."

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie said the Lib Dems were "determined to abandon every principle they once stood for."