Labour's £14bn 'fixation' with new nuclear power 'won't cut bills or help climate'
The UK Government last week announced a new 'golden age' of nuclear but academics and campaigners warn it will be a costly energy fail.
Labour's £14billion 'fixation' with new nuclear power will be a costly flop and do nothing to lower Scots' bills or hit climate targets, experts have warned.
It comes after Keir Starmer's goverment last week announced a 'golden age' of nuclear energy with a £14.2billion investment to finally build the delayed Sizewell C plant in Suffolk which it claimed will create 10,000 jobs.
Ministers say the move is vital to prevent future blackouts and to help the shift to a low carbon economy.
Now campaigners and academics warned nuclear energy is too expensive and plants take too long to build to make any dent in net zero efforts or prevent future blackouts.
And they said the result of 'inevitable' cost overruns on nuclear projects would lead to a 'nuclear tax' on consumer bills.
It follows pressure on the SNP to end its block on nuclear projects, with Labour saying it could open Scotland up to small modular reactors (SMR) if it wins at Holyrood next year.
But Pete Roche, an Edinburgh energy consultant and anti-nuclear campaigner, said: "It's too late for nuclear. It takes too long to build.
"We're trying to tackle a climate crisis here, we need to be fast - the faster, the better.
"You can insulate people's homes and put up wind farms quite quickly in comparison to how long it takes to build a nuclear power station.
"And the worry is when you're putting all your eggs in the nuclear basket, the money is getting diverted, civil servants' attention is getting diverted.
"We're not focused enough on getting the energy transition based on renewables off the ground.
"It's a fixation and the UK is not on its own. There's all sorts of talk in other countries of building nuclear power stations again.
"It's almost like a mass psychosis because if they really investigated properly what the best use of public funds would be, nuclear wouldn't get a look-in."
Dr Paul Dorfman, of the Bennett Institute at the University of Sussex, said more than £20billion had now been committed to Sizewell C but the final bill could easily be double that and likely more.
He told the Sunday Mail: 'The vast majority of that money comes from public subsidy - in other words, the public will have to pay for all the inevitable over-costs and overruns, which is basically a nuclear tax.'
Dr Dorfman continued: 'In Scotland, given the country's vast renewable power capacity, one wonders what would be the reason to burden Scotland with new nuclear.
'New nuclear builds, wherever they're built, are always vastly over cost and over time.
'Hinkley Point C [in Somerset] is already 90 per cent over budget and seven years late, with at least seven years of construction remaining.
'And the form of reactor that is doomed to be constructed at Sizewell C is the same reactor being built at Hinkley C.'
He added: 'It is possible to sustain a reliable power system by expanding r enewables on all levels, whether that's solar, wind, geothermal, hydrogen, storage and all the rest of it…
'But nuclear risks eating all of the cake.
'The time lost may prove catastrophic, because according to the UK Government, it takes up to 17 years to build just one nuclear power plant.
'Meanwhile all SMRs are in the design phase.
'In terms of the climate, we are running out of time now.'
And because of the time it takes to build a nuclear station, he declared: 'Nuclear cannot keep the lights on.'
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Tor Justad, chair of Highlands Against Nuclear Power (HANP), highlighted the continuing issues related to the old Dounreay plant which shut down in 1985 around radioactive waste.
He said: 'For me, investing in nuclear makes no sense, whether economically or in terms of safety or benefit to the wider community.
'We don't need these massive white elephants which always end up costing twice what they started with and take twice the length of time to build than they predicted.
'And this argument about base load doesn't take into account the storage possibilities for renewables that we're developing at a rapid pace, including here in the Highlands.
'We can store electricity now in ways that we never could do ten years ago, and that will continue to improve.'
He added Labour's pro-nuclear stance is 'a real danger' in Scotland.
The UK Government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: 'We reject these views."
Noting the £14.2billion investment and jobs boost, it added: 'We are ending the no-nuclear status quo as part of our Plan for Change and are entering a golden age of nuclear with the biggest building programme in a generation...
"This is the government's clean energy mission in action – investing in lower bills and good jobs for energy security.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
16 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Starmer to warn of ‘backroom stitch-up' in Welsh elections
In a speech to the Welsh Labour conference, the Prime Minister is set to say that a coalition of those parties would be a 'return to the chaos and division of the last decade' and risk rolling back the progress his party is starting to make. Welsh First Minister Baroness Eluned Morgan meanwhile will call next year's polls a 'moment of reckoning' and 'serious threat' as Reform UK is 'rising' and Plaid Cymru 'mobilising'. And Labour will announce funding to help those made redundant by the Tata Steel closure in Port Talbot. Reform UK is eyeing an opportunity to end Labour's 26 years of domination in the Welsh Parliament at the Senedd elections in May next year. Labour performed poorly in this year's local elections in England, which saw Nigel Farage's party win a swathe of council seats. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out making deals with Plaid Cymru or Reform at the next Senedd election. Welsh Labour leader Baroness Morgan will say the election is not going to be a 'routine affair'. She will add: 'It will be a moment of reckoning. Reform are rising. Plaid are mobilising. And across the country, people are asking big, serious questions about the kind of future they want for Wales. 'This is not a moment to look away. This is the moment to look forward – a moment of maximum opportunity and, yes, also of serious threat. It's time to stand up. It's time to get involved.' The conference in Llandudno comes on the heels of Sir Keir's U-turn on welfare policy to avert a major backbench rebellion that will leave Chancellor Rachel Reeves facing a scramble to fill a potential hole in her budget this autumn. Ahead of marking a year in office next week, Sir Keir will point to moves his Government has made since the election that he says bring direct benefits to Wales, including international trade deals that give a boost to brands such as Penderyn whisky and legislation to bolster workers' rights. Wales Secretary Jo Stevens is set to announce a new £11 million fund for businesses offering skilled employment in Port Talbot as it seeks to help those left unemployed by Tata Steel's closure of the steelworks. The fund is made up of £6.78 million from the Government and £5 million from Tata Steel. 'The Tories abandoned our steelworkers. Reform want to cancel the Electric Arc Furnace, throw away 5,000 jobs, and send people back down the mines. 'We have the backs of our steelworkers, their families and local businesses,' Ms Stevens will say. Sir Keir will tout the advantages of having parallel Labour governments in Westminster and Wales, with Baroness Morgan leading the latter as a 'fierce champion'. 'This is the party that has got wages rising faster in the first 10 months than the Tories managed in 10 years. This is the government that is cutting bills and creating jobs. This is the movement that will rebuild Britain and renew Wales,' Sir Keir is expected to say. Labour is the party with the 'interests of working people at their heart' and 'it always will be', he will say. 'Or, there's the other option. The risk of rolling back all the progress we're beginning to make. A return to the chaos and division of the last decade. 'A backroom stitch-up between the Tories, Reform and Plaid. And once again, it will be working families left to pick up the bill. 'Whether that's with Reform, or with Plaid's determination to cut Wales off from the rest of the country – with no plan to put Wales back together.' The Conservatives have said that Labour has 'let Wales down for far too long'. Shadow Welsh secretary Mims Davies said: 'Divisions between a complacent Welsh Labour and Starmer's failing UK Government in Westminster have simply not improved Wales's outlook, despite the fabled benefit of two Labour Governments in Wales, which is absolute bunkum.' She also added: 'Labour has let Wales down for too long, taken people for granted and now the PM is making a mess of the entire United Kingdom.'
ITV News
24 minutes ago
- ITV News
Starmer to warn of ‘backroom stitch-up' in Welsh elections
Sir Keir Starmer will warn of a 'backroom stitch-up' between the Tories, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru ahead of key elections in Wales next year. In a speech to the Welsh Labour conference, the Prime Minister is set to say that a coalition of those parties would be a 'return to the chaos and division of the last decade' and risk rolling back the progress his party is starting to make. Welsh First Minister Baroness Eluned Morgan meanwhile will call next year's polls a 'moment of reckoning' and 'serious threat' as Reform UK is 'rising' and Plaid Cymru 'mobilising'. And Labour will announce funding to help those made redundant by the Tata Steel closure in Port Talbot. This is the party that has got wages rising faster in the first 10 months than the Tories managed in 10 years Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Reform UK is eyeing an opportunity to end Labour's 26 years of domination in the Welsh Parliament at the Senedd elections in May next year. Labour performed poorly in this year's local elections in England, which saw Nigel Farage's party win a swathe of council seats. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out making deals with Plaid Cymru or Reform at the next Senedd election. Welsh Labour leader Baroness Morgan will say the election is not going to be a 'routine affair'. She will add: 'It will be a moment of reckoning. Reform are rising. Plaid are mobilising. And across the country, people are asking big, serious questions about the kind of future they want for Wales. 'This is not a moment to look away. This is the moment to look forward – a moment of maximum opportunity and, yes, also of serious threat. It's time to stand up. It's time to get involved.' The conference in Llandudno comes on the heels of Sir Keir's U-turn on welfare policy to avert a major backbench rebellion that will leave Chancellor Rachel Reeves facing a scramble to fill a potential hole in her budget this autumn. Ahead of marking a year in office next week, Sir Keir will point to moves his Government has made since the election that he says bring direct benefits to Wales, including international trade deals that give a boost to brands such as Penderyn whisky and legislation to bolster workers' rights. Wales Secretary Jo Stevens is set to announce a new £11 million fund for businesses offering skilled employment in Port Talbot as it seeks to help those left unemployed by Tata Steel's closure of the steelworks. The fund is made up of £6.78 million from the Government and £5 million from Tata Steel. 'The Tories abandoned our steelworkers. Reform want to cancel the Electric Arc Furnace, throw away 5,000 jobs, and send people back down the mines. 'We have the backs of our steelworkers, their families and local businesses,' Ms Stevens will say. Sir Keir will tout the advantages of having parallel Labour governments in Westminster and Wales, with Baroness Morgan leading the latter as a 'fierce champion'. 'This is the party that has got wages rising faster in the first 10 months than the Tories managed in 10 years. This is the government that is cutting bills and creating jobs. This is the movement that will rebuild Britain and renew Wales,' Sir Keir is expected to say. Labour is the party with the 'interests of working people at their heart' and 'it always will be', he will say. 'Or, there's the other option. The risk of rolling back all the progress we're beginning to make. A return to the chaos and division of the last decade. 'A backroom stitch-up between the Tories, Reform and Plaid. And once again, it will be working families left to pick up the bill. 'Whether that's with Reform, or with Plaid's determination to cut Wales off from the rest of the country – with no plan to put Wales back together.' The Conservatives have said that Labour has 'let Wales down for far too long'. Shadow Welsh secretary Mims Davies said: 'Divisions between a complacent Welsh Labour and Starmer's failing UK Government in Westminster have simply not improved Wales's outlook, despite the fabled benefit of two Labour Governments in Wales, which is absolute bunkum.'
Powys County Times
30 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Veterans railcards could extend to family in new ‘legal duty' for armed forces
Families of veterans could receive cut-price train fares of their own as part of proposals to strengthen the UK's military covenant being considered by ministers, it is understood. Eligibility for the special railcard, which provides a discount of one third on most tickets, could be extended under plans to offer more support to the armed forces community. Under existing rules, spouses of veterans can be offered concessions when travelling as a companion to the cardholder, but cannot use benefits independently. It comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed plans to place a 'legal duty' on all Government departments to consider the needs of military personnel and their families when making policy. Number 10 said more details of the measure would be set out in due course, but could include initiatives such as extending travel benefits to the families of veterans and the bereaved. It is understood that one proposal being considered is the extension of the veterans railcard to family members, though no decisions have been made. Sir Keir earlier met trainee pilots and their families as he visited RAF Valley on Anglesey in North Wales, to mark Armed Forces Day. He said: 'Across the country and around the world, our service personnel and their families make the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and protect our freedom and our way of life. 'When I became Prime Minister, I made a promise to serve those who have served us. 'Through the new Armed Forces Covenant, we are delivering on that promise, ensuring our service personnel, veterans and their families are treated with the respect they deserve, that is our duty. 'Our Armed Forces Covenant will put our armed forces community at the very heart of government decision-making. 'Their courage, duty, and sacrifice are the foundation of our national values, and they deserve nothing less.' Labour pledged in its manifesto to fully implement the Armed Forces Covenant, which supports the military community through a range of initiatives and grants. Under the new legislation all areas of Government will for the first time have to have 'due regard' in decision-making for the unique circumstances and position of the armed forces community, Downing Street said. Currently this is only legally required in areas of housing, healthcare and education at local level, meaning it does not apply to central Government. The extension will cover policy areas including employment, immigration, welfare, transport, pensions, childcare and criminal justice. The Government aims to make the changes in the next Armed Forces Bill, one of which is required every five years. The last Bill was passed in 2021. It comes ahead more than 200 events expected to take place across the UK to mark Armed Forces Day. The town of Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire will host this year's annual national event, and is expected to welcome 200,000 visitors. It will feature a military parade with personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and the RAF's Red Arrows, including music from the British Army Band Catterick and the Band of the Coldstream Guards. A flypast by Chinook helicopters and historic aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will take place above the town's beaches, as well as a fireworks display and a concert by military musicians. Defence Secretary John Healey, who will attend the celebrations, said: 'On Armed Forces Day the nation unites to thank our armed forces: our service personnel, our reservists, our veterans and our cadets. 'This is the day we celebrate all they do, in ordinary and extraordinary ways, to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. 'We're matching our words with actions, committing an extra £1.5 billion to fix forces' family housing this parliament, the largest pay rise in over 20 years for personnel, and bringing the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law. 'Our government's plan for change is renewing the nation's contract with those who serve.' The Ministry of Defence has also announced that the bidding process for next year's Armed Forces Day national event will open next week on Tuesday.
