The UK government now sees to triple nuclear energy generating capacity in the country to approximately 40% by 2025 from 13% now.

Mr Brown has been quoted by Dow Jones as saying: “We will now build not 12GW of nuclear capacity but 16GW, a total for new building that is bigger than all our current nuclear capacity and represents significant progress toward a low-carbon future.”

Last month, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said in a report that a new nuclear programme can help the UK meet its carbon targets. The organisation further said that the country requires 16GW of new nuclear power (equivalent to 10-12 reactors) to meet climate change targets and reduce dependence on energy imports.

The UK government has recently approved ten sites in England and Wales for future nuclear power stations.