Government gives go-ahead for new nuclear plants
January 10th 2008 Nuclear reactors are a "clean, safe and affordable" way of meeting the UK's future energy challenges while addressing the risks of climate change, the Government has said to MPs in response to a consultation on the issue launched last year.
In the long awaited statement, business secretary John Hutton said the Government will not be building any new generators itself but "it is in the public interest to allow energy companies the option of investing in new nuclear power stations."
The Government will take the necessary steps to facilitate this process and said it hopes the first of the generation of plants will be operational by 2020.
Following the announcement, EDF Energy has already said it plans to invest in four new plants in the UK, the first of which will be completed by 2017.
Greenpeace has spoken out against the Government's decision, arguing that nuclear is not the answer to the energy gap because it will not deliver until years after the gap needs to be plugged. More articles from WEE newsdesk: | 
