Nuclear subsidy decision bad for Scottish renewables

Commenting on the UK Government’s decision to provide nuclear power with a large subsidy over many decades, Dr Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said:

“There is no doubt that the UK Government’s ideological fixation with too little, too late, too expensive nuclear will damage Scotland’s renewables industry. The government promised there would be no subsidy for nuclear, now they are committing £50bn from the fuel bills of generations to come. The industry told us they could build reactors for £2bn, now the price tag is £14bn for two. Building new nuclear plants in the UK is going divert to money and political will away from energy efficiency and renewable energy at just the time when we need to develop these to reduce carbon emissions and reduce people’s bills.

“There are only two reactors being built in Europe, and both are billions over budget and years late. EDF has held the UK Government to ransom to get this incredible subsidy, but even with this and their backing from the French state they will be stretched to breaking point trying to build these reactors in Somerset. We need to start worrying what corners EDF will try to cut at Torness and Hunterston to try to make the books balance over the next decade, as Hinkley Point absorbs more and more of their money and attention.”

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact: Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland
t: 0131 243 2719

Notes to Editors

Friends of the Earth Scotland is * Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation * An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland * Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 77 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups – covering every continent. www.foe-scotland.org.uk