UK Coalition Government to Support New Nuclear Power

The energy minister in the UK, Charles Hendry, just recently announced this week that the government is supporting new nuclear power. This news comes despite opposition from the Tories’ coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats.

Hendry will be telling the Nuclear Industry Forum that there is a role for new nuclear plants. This is provided they do not require public subsidies. In one of the key differences between the two coalition parties, the Tories back a brand new generation of private sector-funded nuclear power stations. However, the Liberal Democrats have long opposed the new nuclear buildings.

The Tory junior minister, who works under Liberal Democrat energy secretary Chris Huhne, said that conversations that he has had with companies suggest that they are willing to invest without being subsidised. The government will take steps to remove unnecessary barriers for building new nuclear power.

Government support is very likely to include a strong floor price for carbon. This could be introduced in next week’s emergency budget. This would push up the price of allowances for polluting and incentive investments in low carbon power, such as nuclear power.

Hendry went on to say that the coalition government is clear. It is for private sector energy companies to construct, operate and decommission new nuclear plants. It will be for the government to ensure that the appropriate levels of safety, security and environmental regulations get put into place.

He finished up by saying that, from what he has heard from the nuclear industry, there is no doubt that the industry will be able to rise to the challenge. Nuclear power can have a key role in the UK energy mix.