Why Scotland cannot remain ideologically opposed to nuclear power

The Torness nuclear power station in East Lothian supplies low-carbon electricity to the nation (Picture: David Partner/Construction Photography/Avalon) | Getty Images

Arguments about nuclear energy have raged for decades, often prompted by people’s understandable fears about the potential for a disastrous meltdown as well as concerns about where to store radioactive waste. It has also been wrongly caught up in the fractious debate about nuclear weapons.

However, when thinking about such highly contentious matters, it is important to remain open to at least the idea of changing one’s viewpoint if different circumstances arise, rather than remaining ideologically committed to a position, come what may.

Responding to a request from the GMB union for a meeting to discuss the benefits of nuclear, the Scottish Government said: “New nuclear power is expensive, will take years to become operational and involves significant environmental concerns... Rather than waste further money on nuclear, the Scottish Government has been consistently clear that it makes far greater economic and environmental sense to make greater use of renewable electricity generation.”

It is true that nuclear power stations are expensive and they can also take a long time to build. However, it is also true that it is a source of low-carbon electricity at a time when demand is only going to increase. Electric vehicles and home-heating systems are the future, so Scotland is going to need much more power generation than at present and it has to be there when it is needed.

Electricity demand set to soar

At some point, a modernised National Grid and large-scale energy storage facilities are likely to mean that there is no need for a dependable supply of baseload electricity. However, that day is a long way off yet.

Scotland has been missing its emissions reduction targets in recent years, and the world as a whole is way off track. Humanity is in a losing fight to preserve the relatively benign climate that has allowed civilisation to grow to its current heights. These circumstances are radically different to the days when the anti-nuclear movement began.

Those who remain opposed, including the Scottish Government, but recognise the danger posed by global warming need to think seriously about whether we really can afford to shun such a powerful tool as nuclear energy at a time when the world needs all the help it can get.