黑洞社区

Speaking to BSD, shadow Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) minister Greg Barker has come out in support of the CBI and said the publication of a policy statement is needed as soon as possible.

His comments follow a recent report by the Confederation of British Industry鈥檚 (CBI). In it鈥檚 report Forging a Nuclear Renaissance: Making new nuclear a reality ,the lobby group claims existing policy is 鈥渟ubsidising investments in renewable energy at the expense of other more cost effective low-carbon solutions,鈥� including nuclear. The report demanded a policy statement from government on nuclear power.

Barker said Britain should have a 鈥渂road-based supply of low carbon energy鈥� to ensure it isn鈥檛 over-dependent on one energy source and to reduce carbon emissions. He also said that under a Conservative government, nuclear power would 鈥渂e part of the energy mix if it is economically viable鈥�

Matthew Farrow, CBI鈥檚 head of energy, transport and planning, said: 鈥淲e need the nuclear National Policy Statement to be published as soon as possible. It must set out the scale of nuclear investment needed to meet carbon targets 鈥� probably about eight to 10 new plants by 2030. We also need a streamlined planning system to assess individual nuclear planning applications and to resolve the question of whether a new market mechanism, such as capacity payments or a carbon price floor, is needed to enable nuclear new build. This is not about a subsidy, it is about making the returns on nuclear investment more predictable.鈥�

To read Greg Barker鈥檚 comments in full, read the December issue of BSD.