EEF responds to Energy White Paper Consultation on Nuclear Power

EEF has sent a submission to government in response to its consultation entitled The Role of Nuclear Power in a Low Carbon UK Economy.

The response stated that EEF welcomes the opportunity to comment on a wide-ranging and very thorough consultation on the future of nuclear power in the UK and that government should be commended for its considerable effort to engage all stakeholders.

On the basis of the comprehensive body of evidence assembled during last year’s review of energy policy and as part of this consultation exercise, EEF strongly supports the government’s preliminary view that that the private sector should have the option of investing in new nuclear power stations. We believe that nuclear power delivers significant climate change and security of supply advantages as part of a diverse generation portfolio.

EEF believe that nuclear power can play a significant role in tackling climate change and addressing issues of security of supply and that the safety record of the nuclear power industry compares favourably with those of other forms of electricity generation.

Furthermore, the considerable skill base and engineering capability relevant to nuclear power in the UK, should not be lost.