Harris Welcomes Nuclear Warning

2.00.58pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 20th Jun 2006

Local MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, Dr Evan Harris, has welcomed the warning by Sir Menzies Campbell today that a new generation of nuclear power stations will cost taxpayers and consumers tens of billions of pounds.

Sir Menzies, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, said in a speech to journalists today that new nuclear power, in addition to posing safety and environmental risks, will only be possible with vast taxpayer subsidies or a rigged market [1] as the Liberal Democrats publish new analysis of recent international experiences of nuclear power.

Sir Menzies argued that an alternative energy strategy based on renewables, microgeneration, energy efficiency and clean coal technology is more affordable. He underscored the value of microgeneration by also visiting both a combined heat and power station and a fuel cell project that power a leisure centre in Liberal Democrat-run Woking Council, a Beacon Council for Climate Change.

Sir Menzies said:

"Every UK citizen is already paying over £1,500 to clean up the nuclear waste of the last 50 years - and that bill regularly gets revised upwards.

"If the Prime Minister gets his way and a new generation of nuclear power stations are built, both the taxpayer and consumer will get stung again. Nuclear power is the ultimate stealth tax.

"Evidence from abroad shows nuclear power is not competitive. Last year the US Government was forced to offer nuclear subsidies of $13.7 billion to persuade investors.

"The new nuclear power plant being built in Finland needed hidden subsidies through export guarantees from France, 30 year long contracts and government guarantees over future decommissioning and waste. The real question for the forthcoming energy review is, where will Blair hide his nuclear subsidy?

"There is a low carbon, non-nuclear alternative - and it was backed by the Prime Minister only three years ago. If we get serious about energy efficiency and renewables and if we invest in a decentralised energy system with local Combined Heat and Power and domestic microgeneration, there is simply no need to waste money on nuclear power.

Dr Harris MP said:

"I welcome this warning to the Prime Minister from Sir Menzies. As the Prime Minister himself used to say, nuclear power will impose a tax on the country, costing consumers billions of pounds, distorting the market and squeezing out competition."

[1] See "Where will Blair hide his nuclear tax bombshell?" Lib Dem DTI Team June 2006