Scotland needs new nuclear power, top business group says

Published on Tuesday 19 April 2011 19:10

ONE of Scotland's leading business groups has declared that the country will need a new generation of nuclear reactors, as a reliable back-up for the "green revolution" of wind, wave and tidal power.

In the latest intervention in the election row over Scotland's energy needs, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC) accused the campaigning parties of engaging in a "bidding war" on ever higher targets for renewable energy ahead of the 5 May poll.

Warning of a possible energy gap between 2020 and 2030, when most of Scotland's large power stations are scheduled for decomissioning, the group says it will be "essential" to invest in a "new generation" of nuclear reactors to ensure supplies are secure and affordable.

Their call comes after SNP Leader Alex Salmond published his manifesto last week, with a new target to produce 100 per cent of Scotland's energy needs from renewable sources by 2020 - prompting warnings from CBI Scotland that it was both "unrealistic and undesirable".

The SNP claims that becoming fully renewable will eliminate the need for any extension to Scotland's two existing nuclear power stations, at Hunterston and Torness.

However, both Labour and the Conservatives have opened the door for more nuclear powered-electricity, saying any new application would be considered "on its merits".

Liz Cameron, chief executive of the SCC, said last night that a coherent energy strategy for the next 25 years must emerge from the political point-scoring.

She warned that while renewable energy should be backed, there remained concerns over when it would come onstream and how much "baseload" power it could provide.

"We believe that the decade between 2020 and 2030 will be crucial, as most of our large power stations are scheduled to be decommissioned, and it will be essential to maintain baseload electricity generation, including investment in a new generation of nuclear reactors in Scotland," Ms Cameron added.

She also warned that with off-shore wind at present one of the most expensive ways of generating electricity, there were still doubts over whether it could be supplied cost-effectively for the consumer. She said that solutions needed to be found now to "ensure that Scotland has the energy infrastructure to be able to meet the demands of our economy".

Ms Cameron's comments come after CBI Scotland also said a reliable energy mix would be needed to back up renewables, following Mr Salmond's manifesto launch last week.

However, the renewable energy industry in Scotland insists that while the target to meet 100 per cent of the country's needs from wind, wave and tidal by 2020 is "ambitious", it can be met. Three major foreign companies have recently all invested in Scotland's green energy potential.

A spokesman for the SNP insisted that "dirty and dangerous" nuclear power was not required in Scotland and would in any case be too expensive to deliver to attract private capital over the coming years.

But Scottish Labour's energy spokesman, Lewis Macdonald said last night: "It is right to set ambitious renewable targets, but they have to be realistic, which is why we need a balanced energy policy."

He added: "The current target of 80 per cent for 2020 is already extremely ambitious and will be difficult to achieve so to go beyond that is simply unrealistic."

On the subject of nuclear energy, Labour's manifesto declares that "any application for consent to new nuclear capacity will be considered on its merits".