Comment is free: Nuclear’s hidden subsidies

Nuclear’s hidden subsidies

The government’s vision for the future of nuclear energy is much the same as its past: It expects the public to foot the bill.
David Lowry

 May 23, 2007 10:30 PM | Printable version

While unveiling to MPs in the Commons the consultation paper on The Future of Nuclear Power, trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling, told them that: “It will be for the private sector to initiate, fund, construct and operate new nuclear plants, and to cover the cost of decommissioning and their full share of the costs of long-term waste management costs.”

In his valedictory speech to the Labour conference on September 26 last year, Tony Blair commented: “Ten years ago, energy wasn’t on the agenda. The environment an also-ran… ten years ago I parked the issue of nuclear power. Today, I believe without it, we are going to face an energy crisis and we can’t let that happen.” He said much the same in prime minister’s question time today. What he neglected to mention on either occasion was who was going to pay.