Following calls from business leaders and top scientists, the UK government is reportedly moving closer to agreeing a new generation of nuclear power plants be built to ease a looming power supply crunch.
The government is apparently ‘considering all the options’ in a review of the nation’s strategic energy supply alternatives. Both Sir Digby Jones, director general of the Confederation of British Industry, and David King, one of the government’s top scientific advisors, have made calls in recent days for new nuclear plants to be introduced.
The Labour government pledged while still in opposition to reduce carbon emissions by 20% before 2010. However it is becoming increasingly clear that such a goal is not achievable without recourse to more nuclear facilities. Indeed, the problem is exacerbated by the fact that most of the existing nuclear fleet is reaching the end of its working life – half of the UK’s 14 sites will have ceased generating by 2015.
Prime minister Tony Blair is seemingly coming round to the idea of new nuclear. Mr Blair’s spokesman told the press that, the prime minister’s view is that we need to look at all the options and everybody knows that is what we are going to do.