Coalition urged to be honest on nuclear

16.05.2011

MPs on the Energy & Climate Change Committee have today warned that the Government must be honest if it chooses to go back on its promises about nuclear.

Whilst the coalition pledge to keep public subsidies away from nuclear power, in practice they may effectively provide public funding to nuclear generators through long-term contracts and windfalls.

Tim Yeo MP, Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, said:

"Ministers believe that new nuclear could play a key role in keep the lights on and meeting our climate change targets — but they don’t want to own up to supporting it.

"This is understandable given the promise they made not to subsidise nuclear, but it would be deeply irresponsible to skew the whole process of electricity market reform simply to save face.

“The Government must be up front about the support it is giving to nuclear and not hide subsidies in a one-size-fits-all design for long-term energy contracts."

To read the full story, click here.