Power giant’s atomic reaction proves we’re right, insist SNP

Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) – one of the country’s biggest firms – is in talks to scrap its plans for involvement in a project to build nuclear reactors at the Sellafield power station in Cumbria.

The move comes after industrial and engineering conglomerate Siemens announced it would withdraw entirely from the nuclear industry, as the German government plans to shut all its nuclear power plants by 2022, following the crisis at Fukushima in Japan earlier this year.

Scotland’s energy minister, Fergus Ewing, said he “warmly welcomed” the move by Scottish and Southern to move away from nuclear fuels, and a review of how the energy giant generates its power supplies.

The news sparked a claim by senior SNP MSP John Wilson, the deputy head of Holyrood’s energy committee, that the Scottish Government was on course to meets its target for 80 per cent of electricity consumed in Scotland to come from renewable sources by 2020.

Leading power industry expert Professor Gareth Harrison, deputy head at Edinburgh University’s institute for energy system, also said that Scottish Southern’s retreat from nuclear power and move towards renewables such as offshore wind power showed that it would be “credible” to generate all of Scotland’s electricity from alternative energy.

He said: “The renewables policy is a credible one if there’s the right economic policy behind it and if the system is interlinked to other countries using renewables for energy such as England and Norway.

“One reason for this decision could be that Scottish and Southern has a lot of investment to make and it could be merely choosing a particular type of technology to concentrate on for the future.

“The decision may be that renewables are better suited to the strengths of the company.

“Scottish and Southern has a couple of very large wind farms, which is a very big investment, so it may want to concentrate on that type of energy source.

“Also, the company doesn’t have a big history of investment in nuclear power, so that may also account for this. The company decision may be influenced by the level of return.”

Meanwhile, Scottish and Southern said it would make an “official announcement in the next few days” about its energy plans, which could see the firm selling its 25 per cent stake in the NuGen consortium.

Mr Ewing said that the company’s decision to opt for renewable energy was part of a Scottish and global trend to move away from nuclear power.

He said: “Some of the biggest energy companies, both Scottish-based and international firms, are making major investments in Scotland’s huge renewable energy potential, and we warmly welcome the fact that leading energy companies increasingly see the future as one powered by renewables rather than nuclear.

“Scotland’s massive competitive advantage in the green energy sector means our focus for the future should be in that area. We are well on track to meet our targets of generating the equivalent 100 per cent of Scotland’s own electricity needs from renewable sources by 2020, and we will continue to help investment in the green energy sector.”

But the SNP’s policy of relying on renewables for Scotland’s power supply was heavily criticised by Tory finance and energy spokesman Gavin Brown, who accused the Scottish Government of being “blinkered” in its opposition to nuclear power.

Mr Brown said: “Nuclear power has a vital role to play in Scotland’s future energy policies, as it provides stability and security for energy supplies, as well as being low carbon.

“Many countries around the world pursue pro-nuclear policies, so it’s regrettable and worrying that the SNP is being so blinkered on this.”

Scottish Labour’s finance spokesman, Richard Baker, also called on the SNP to set out clearly how it would reach its renewables target of 80 per cent by 2020.

Mr Baker said: “We believe there should be mixed energy sources and welcome the drive towards renewables. But there is a role for nuclear power, as part of this mixed approach. The SNP Government needs to show how it will meet the renewables energy target it has set itself.”

But SNP MSP Mr Wilson claimed the energy giant’s decision was a move in the “direction of travel” of Mr Salmond’s renewables energy policy.

Mr Wilson said: “This is news that vindicates the stance of the Scottish Government on renewables and shows that the direction of travel is now in that direction and away from nuclear power.

“The Scottish and Southern attitude is now widespread in the energy sector and shows how well placed we are to meet the targets set by renewables, as set out by the Scottish Government.”

The news was also welcomed by Scottish Green Party leader and Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie, a leading campaigner against nuclear power.

Mr Harvie said: “I welcome the importance that SSE places on renewable energy, and it would make good sense for them to maintain this focus rather than heading off down a nuclear dead-end.

The same is true for the UK and a Scottish Governments, and the Greens will consistently make the case against new-build nuclear power as well as the life-extension of existing nuclear plants.”

A spokeswoman from Scottish Southern, speaking yesterday, said: “We will make an official announcement in the next few days.”

The company previously issued a statement that said: “A review of our involvement in new nuclear is currently underway.”

Scottish and Southern, together with the energy firms GDF and Iberdrola, announced plans to work on a UK nuclear project in 2009 and bought a site for £70 million.

In the past two years, renewable plans, including construction of the 350-megawatt Clyde land-based wind farm and the 140-turbine Greater Gabbard offshore farm, have dominated Scottish & Southern’s capital and investment spending, which will total £1.7 billion in 2012.