Today, we exclusively reveal the industry response in the week that the UK Government announced it would create 10,000 jobs with £14 billion-plus investment in a new-era nuclear plant in England.
It prompted an angry response from the GMB Scotland union which has written to the Scottish energy secretary calling for a change in stance.
Torness, East Lothian. (Image: Getty Images) Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, said it is “beyond time for SNP ministers to exploit the potential of new nuclear energy to achieve net zero and create jobs”.She said: “New nuclear can help provide a baseload of safe, clean and secure energy while creating thousands of skilled, well-paid, unionised jobs in Scotland.
“The Holyrood government’s absolute refusal to seriously consider its potential is an abdication of responsibility and needs to change.
“It makes no sense if ministers want to achieve net zero targets and it makes no sense if they want Scotland’s economy to grow again.”
The nuclear industry supports almost 3,700 jobs in Scotland adding £400 million to the economy but Ms Gilmour said that is “only a fraction of the potential economic benefits if the Scottish Government reverses its ban on new nuclear power”.
She has urged ministers to trigger an immediate review of future options.
READ MORE:
Ed Miliband, UK energy secretary, said: “We will not accept the status quo of failing to invest in the future and energy insecurity for our country.
“We need new nuclear to deliver a golden age of clean energy abundance, because that is the only way to protect family finances, take back control of our energy, and tackle the climate crisis.
“This is the Government’s clean energy mission in action, investing in lower bills and good jobs for energy security.”
A spokesperson also said: “The announcement comes as the UK Government is set to confirm one of Europe’s first Small Modular Reactor programmes. This comes alongside record investment in R&D for fusion energy, worth over £2.5bn over five years. Taken together with Sizewell C, this delivers the biggest nuclear building programme in a generation.”
Ms Gilmour wrote to Gillian Martin, Scottish energy secretary: “A total of 10,000 jobs will be created at Sizewell alone. Where in Scotland are jobs being created at such a scale?”
I reported this week that among the Labour government’s plans is the redevelopment of a major nuclear base in Scotland.
It signals a “multi-decade” commitment to the site where around 6,500 people work.
The UK Government plans a multi-billion-pound redevelopment of His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde.
An initial £250 million of funding will be made over three years which will help support “jobs, skills and growth” at Faslane, the Royal Navy’s main presence in Scotland.
Westminster said that the “Clyde 2070 programme represents one of the most significant and sustained UK Government investments in Scotland over the coming decades”.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is focussed on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland’s immense renewable energy capacity rather than expensive new nuclear energy which takes decades to build, creates toxic waste which is difficult and costly to dispose of and does not generate power at a cost that will bring down energy bills.”
