Government to go ahead with plans for more nuclear power

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 8th Jan 2008

Nuclear power station

The Prime Minister has given the clearest sign yet that Labour will push ahead with a controversial new wave of nuclear power plants, with plans to replace 14 ageing nuclear power stations, which produce almost a fifth of the UK's electricity, with a generation of new ones would make the UK one of the leading nuclear energy users. But the plans have faced major criticism over safety and because, on current projections, only one of the existing clutch of nuclear plants will be producing power by 2020. The taxpayer will pay an estimated £65 billion to end the productive life of the existing nuclear power kit and at least £10 billion to dispose of nuclear waste.

Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson Steve Webb said "This is the totally predictable outcome of a sham consultation. The Government made its mind up from the beginning about new nuclear plants and it has simply been going through the motions ever since. Energy conservation and investing in renewables should be our top priorities, but under Labour, we are lagging far behind our European neighbours on generating green electricity."