THE Scottish Government has rejected UK Energy Minister Greg Hands plea to “rethink” its stance on new nuclear power stations in Scotland.
The Tory minister said it’s a “great pity” Scotland has opposed the construction of any fission power plants amid the cost of living crisis and that he would be willing to sit down with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Energy Secretary Michael Matheson to hear their concerns.
It has been a longstanding Scottish Government and SNP policy to oppose nuclear, with the focus instead on the just transition to renewables.
The Scottish Greens said the minister’s plea shows that the Tories “cannot be trusted with the environment”.
Hands made the comments during a round table with Scottish journalists in London, where he also said there was no reason to re-assess licences for fossil fuel projects in the North Sea – despite persistent warnings from the United Nations on any more oil and gas fields being brought into production.
Scottish Net Zero Secretary Matheson has previously said safety concerns are the main reason the government has rejected any new nuclear sites, adding that “it is probably the most expensive form of electricity you can choose to produce”.
Following the closure of Hunterston B in North Ayrshire in January, due to cracks found in graphite bricks which make up the reactor core, the only functioning nuclear power station in Scotland is the Torness plant near Dunbar, East Lothian.
READ MORE: An anti-Rishi Sunak 'murky memo' is sparking controversy among Tory MPs
The UK Government has said it will not “impose” any new nuclear power on Scotland despite plans to approve up to eight new fission reactors –by 2030, boosting overall capacity up to 24GW by 2050.
But Hands has insisted the Scottish Government should reconsider its stance.
When The National pointed out that nuclear power is expensive, takes a long time to be brought online and produces harmful toxic waste, Hands said: “This country has an amazing safety record when it comes to nuclear.
“It’s a very well-regulated sector, the UK has got some of the most and best-respected nuclear regulators and nuclear safety system anywhere in the world.”
He added: “I’m happy to sit down and talk with the Scottish Government and Nicola Sturgeon – my door is open – with Michael Matheson, too, and take them through why I think nuclear is a big part of the rest of the UK’s energy renaissance and how it’s a pity Scotland is not going to be part of that.”
Hands claimed that the best time to have pushed more nuclear power in the UK would have been during Tony Blair’s time as prime minister. Blair at the time said there was no case for investment in the future of nuclear.
Hands added: “The best time to have decided on new nuclear would have been then, the next best time is now. So we want to be getting on with it, we’ve got 11 of the 12 stations going off-production before the end of this decade. That is quite a lot of generation that needs to be replaced.
“I think it’s a great pity that the Scottish Government has effectively closed down nuclear in Scotland, even though Scotland has got an amazing nuclear tradition.
“When I saw the closure of the Hunterston plant for example, I know it had reached the end of its life, but for 31 years it had produced enough clean, low-carbon energy to every home in Scotland. It’s a phenomenal achievement.
“It would be great to see Scotland back into the nuclear picture. I would urge the Scottish Government to revisit their ideological opposition to nuclear.”
Maggie Chapman, the Scottish Greens MSP for North East Scotland, criticised the comments and said that renewables are “cheaper, cleaner and safer” than nuclear, and are easier to scale up.
She said: “Time and again the Tories have shown that they cannot be trusted with our environment. Nuclear power is neither safe nor reliable, and it leaves a toxic legacy that could last for centuries.
“As Hinkley Point shows us, it is also very expensive. Any expansion would take years, and need to be paid for on top of skyrocketing bills.
“The climate crisis is the biggest threat we face and it needs real and immediate action, not the endless drilling and environmental vandalism offered by the Tories.
“What we need is proper investment in a just transition to renewables. Scotland has a huge potential, and the shift would help us to tackle the climate emergency, drive down energy prices.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said that it is “absolutely clear” in its opposition to nuclear energy plants in Scotland.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel