Miliband sets out energy plans to use more nuclear power

The Government has signalled a huge expansion of nuclear power, naming ten sites where new power stations could be built. The first is set to be operational by 2018 and, by 2025, nuclear electricity generation could amount to around 40 per cent of new energy provision. Nine of the new sites are in England, including three in Cumbria, with the tenth in Anglesey, North Wales. Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband told the House of Commons that he has rejected EDF Energy's proposal for a new plant at Dungeness in Kent, southern England. But he added that three other sites, at Kingsnorth, Owston Ferry and Druridge Bay could be suitable for new nuclear plants after 2025. In addition, Mr Miliband also announced that Britain will fund four large-scale demonstration projects to capture and store climate-warming carbon dioxide through a levy on electricity bills. He said new coal plants must have carbon capture technology from the outset on at least 300MW of net output. In response to the annoucement, Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change at WWF-UK, said: "The acknowledgement that we need a safety net in place, in case carbon capture and storage technology doesn't work or costs too much, is a sensible step forward, however waiting until the 2020's to put such a plan into action is foolhardy. It gives us no guarantee that the advice of the Committee on Climate Change, which urges the UK to decarbonise the power sector by 2030, will be met."

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ITN | November 9, 2009

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