Government reveals sites for 10 new nuclear power stations » Central Government » 24dash.com

A huge expansion of nuclear power was signalled by the Government today as it named 10 sites where new power stations could be built.

The first is set to be operational by 2018 and, by 2025, nuclear electricity generation could amount to around 40% of new energy provision.

Nine of the new sites are in England, including three in Cumbria, with the 10th in Anglesey, North Wales.

Energy and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband also set out an "ambitious" new policy for the transition to clean-coal generation, as well as confirming targets for generating 30% of electricity by renewable sources by 2020.

The announcements were coupled with moves aimed at speeding up planning decisions on new energy projects aimed at cutting decisions to one year.

Mr Miliband said significantly more generating capacity was needed in the long term to meet the UK's low-carbon energy challenge, partly because of the intermittency of wind generation.

One third of future generating capacity must be given consent and built by 2025, said the minister, adding: "While there are already proposals to build more energy infrastructure, more is needed to bring about the shift to a low-carbon future."

Mr Miliband said a series of policy statements published by the Government today included a clear direction towards a "massive expansion" in renewables, a new nuclear programme based around 10 sites, as well as moves to introduce clean-coal technology.

The 10 sites named today are at Braystones, Sellafield and Kirksanton, all in Cumbria, Heysham in Lancashire, Hartlepool, Co Durham, Sizewell in Suffolk, Bradwell in Essex, Hinkley Point in Somerset, Oldbury in Gloucestershire and Wylfa in Anglesey.

An 11th site was put forward earlier this year by energy companies as a possible location for a new nuclear power station, but the Government announced today that the site at Dungeness in Kent had not been included in today's list because of concerns about coastal erosion and flood risk.

Three other potential sites were also looked at, but they were found not to be suitable.

These sites were at Druridge Bay in Northumberland, Kingsnorth in Kent and Owston Ferry in South Yorkshire.

Mr Miliband said: "The threat of climate change means we need to make a transition from a system that relies heavily on high-carbon fossil fuels to a radically different system that includes nuclear, renewable and clean-coal power.

"Change is also needed for energy security.

"In a world where our North Sea reserves are declining, a more diverse, low-carbon energy mix is a more secure energy mix, less vulnerable to fluctuations in the availability of any one fuel."

Mr Miliband said the current planning system was a "barrier" to this shift in emphasis, maintaining that it served neither the interests of energy security nor of people living in areas where new stations might be built.

"That is why we are undertaking fundamental reform of the planning system, which will result in a more efficient, transparent and accessible process."

Mr Miliband said a faster planning system would save UK industry up to £300 million a year in "unnecessary expense".

Housing and planning minister John Healey said: "Instead of major projects going through three, four or five separate applications, there is now one single consent system, with one full expert and public examination."

Mr Miliband added that he was setting out the most "environmentally ambitious" set of coal conditions for new stations of any country in the world.

"No new coal plants will be given consent unless they can use carbon capture and storage.

"A programme of up to four projects will be funded and the demonstration plants should be in use by 2025."