UK Says Atomic Power Needed to Fight Global Warming
Date: 12-Jul-06
Country: UK
Author: Jeremy Lovell
But scientists and environmentalists dismissed the conclusions of the government's six-month review of future energy supplies as either too timid or simply misguided.
"We face two big challenges, climate change and the need to provide secure cleaner energy at affordable prices," Trade Minister Alistair Darling told parliament.
"Our analysis suggests that, alongside other low carbon generating options, a new generation of nuclear power stations could make a contribution to reducing carbon emissions and reducing our reliance on imported energy," he said.
Nuclear power accounts for 20 percent of Britain's electricity, but that is due to slump to just 6 percent as all but one of the ageing plants closes within 20 years.
The decision to back a new fleet of nuclear power plants will boost the global nuclear industry as it starts to recover from the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear plant.
Nuclear power, seen by some as a weapon in the fight against global warming because it emits no climate changing carbon gases, and energy security will also dominate the agenda at the Group of Eight summit of rich nations in Russia this weekend.
TWIN CHALLENGE
But nuclear power is politically divisive, particularly within Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party. Environmentalists say it is too dangerous to consider.
"The Energy Review is a damp squib," said Keith Allot of environmental group WWF-UK, "The government's continued dalliance with new nuclear power is a massive distraction from delivering a truly sustainable energy future."
David Wallace, vice president of the Royal Society, Britain's premier science academy, echoed the sentiment.
"While the government has recognised the twin challenges of climate change and energy security, this review is weak on commitment to renewables," he said.
The nuclear industry welcomed the outcome, but the opposition Conservatives, and several energy sector analysts, said there was little meat in the announcement.
"This review seems to have done almost nothing, it is a grave and perilous letdown," Conservative energy spokesman Alan Duncan said.
Darling said renewable energy sources, that supply only 4 percent of Britain's electricity, should do far more but would not be able to plug the 30 percent gap between supply and demand as old nuclear and coal plants close.
The government wants power companies to get more of their supplies from renewables and boost local generation such as rooftop wind turbines and solar panels.
It also wants to streamline the planning process to avoid lengthy and costly delays in building renewable energy plants.
But it is also in a dilemma because it has repeatedly ruled out any public subsidies for new nuclear power stations in view of the 70 billion pounds (US$128.7 billion) it will cost to clean up the 50 years of lethal waste from existing reactors.
"Without massive public subsidies it is very doubtful that private sector companies will take the huge financial risks of building new nuclear reactors," said Tony Juniper of Friends of the Earth.
Generators including British Energy and EdF have said they would be prepared to commit private finance to building new nuclear plants in return for contracts guaranteeing prices.
Analysts say this would be a subsidy by another name.
(US$1=.5439 Pound)
