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Nuclear power gets green light

By James Blake

Updated on 10 January 2008

The government gives the go-ahead for the construction of new nuclear power stations, but it risks sparking fresh rows over cost and safety and may even face legal action from environmental groups.

No one has built a nuclear power station in Britain for nearly 20 years.

With the political will - until now - uncertain, no banks nor energy companies have been brave enough to stump up the £6 billion to build one. But now - the government wants that to change.


On the Suffolk coast - by Sizewell B - some residents, at least, would welcome a new Sizewell C.

Ten new power stations will almost certainly be built on existing nuclear sites - they have the national grid connections already in place.

The most likely contenders are Sizewell, Hinkley point, Dunegess and Bradwell. Wylva in Wales is a remote possibility. But the Scottish Executive has vetoed any new building north of the border.

On the Suffolk coast - by Sizewell B - some residents, at least, would welcome a new Sizewell C.

Nuclear power currently produces about 20 per cent of Britain's electricity. In Germany it's 30 per cent but Germany is now abandoning nuclear power altogether. A change of heart prompted in part by protests against the transportation of waste.

They have started building a nuclear power station in Northern France. Gordon Brown says energy companies must fund the projects here - not the taxpayer. But there could be a number of hidden government subsidies - the cost of decommissioning, the storage of waste and the companies wants the government to guarantee a high price of carbon in Europe's carbon trading scheme.

Nuclear power, according to the government, is just part of the energy mix. In theory Britain is still committed to producing 40 per cent of electricity from renewable, like wave and wind power, by 2020.

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The announcement will delight pro-nuclear groups, who have been pressing ministers to make an early decision to replace the current nuclear power stations, most of which will close by 2023.

But anti-nuclear campaigners, including Greenpeace, will attack the Government, which could face legal action before new sites can be built.

Greenpeace won a High Court ruling last year after complaining that the Government's consultation process was flawed, and the group has not ruled out taking fresh action.

Executive director John Sauven arguest that "even 10 new reactors would only cut the UK's carbon emissions by about 4% some time after 2025".

A spokesman for the Business and Enterprise Department said: "We need to make a decision on whether we should continue to get some of our electricity from nuclear, which is a low-carbon form of making energy.

Nuclear energy currently generates around 20% of the UK's electricity, with 19 reactors at 10 nuclear power stations but all except one of these will close by 2023. The last one, Sizewell B in Suffolk, is scheduled to close in 2035.

Are you in favour?

We'd like to hear your views on nuclear power. Do you feel the country needs it, or should we avoid using it? Do you live near an existing station or would you move near one?

Please send your thoughts to news@channel4.com and we'll publish them here.

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