Brown welcomes announcement of new nuclear sites

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The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) today announced that it is willing to provide land for new nuclear plants at Sellafield, Wylfa, Oldbury and Bradwell, removing another of the potential barriers to government plans for a new fleet of nuclear reactors.

Speaking on a visit to the Sellafield plant in west Cumbria, prime minister Gordon Brown welcomed the NDA’s decision arguing that a new generation of nuclear plants would provide a multi-billion pound boost to the UK economy while also helping to cut carbon emissions.

“Nuclear is crucial to our low carbon future; it is crucial to our energy security and at the same time it represents a massive opportunity for the UK economy and jobs,” he said. “Industry are investing billions into the UK economy, jobs are being created and supply chain opportunities are developing.”

The NDA said it would provide land for two new plants adjacent to the decommissioned Sellafield plant and also nominate Wylfa, on Anglesey, Oldbury, in Gloucestershire, and Bradwell, in Essex, as potential sites for new nuclear stations.

The move comes just days before the government is to publish the criteria it will use to assess the suitability of new sites and call for all potential sites to be formally nominated.

It estimates that each new nuclear station will help to create 9,000 jobs during construction, a further 1,000 jobs when the plants are operational. It also claims each station will be worth £2bn to each selected region.

Meanwhile, the UK’s leading energy firms are jostling for position as they prepare to table bids for the new sites. EDF Energy has vowed to build at least four new reactors following its £12.5bn takeover of British Energy, while in the past fortnight E.ON and RWE AG, and Iberdrola and Scottish and Southern Electricity have announced the formation of joint ventures designed to work on new UK nuclear plants.

Energy minister Mike O’Brien said that the government would continue to move rapidly to ensure a new generation of reactors are built. “One year on since this Government took the decision that new nuclear power should have a role to play, we are making rapid progress,” he said. “The call for potential sites is another key milestone.”