WEST CUMBRIA NUCLEAR OPPORTUNITIES MANAGER WELCOMES GOVERNMENT’S ENERGY WHITE PAPER In response to the Government‟s Energy White Paper announced today (23 May), Rosie Mathisen, West Lakes Renaissance Nuclear Opportunities Manager and Chair of the West Cumbria Nuclear Opportunities Group said: “I welcome the thrust of the government‟s Energy White Paper which is promoting a balanced mix of energy proposals to meet Britain‟s future energy demands. While renewable energy makes a valuable contribution to reducing carbon emissions, we need more robust and reliable energy sources to counteract the forecast that by 2020, we will have to import almost half our gas and more than half our oil. The Prime Minister himself has emphasised the role that energy is now playing in foreign policy and that we should be putting in place plans to ensure the security and self-sufficiency of our country – as other countries are, in refurbishing their ageing reactors. “The expansion of the nuclear industry is good news for Cumbria and the UK. As host to the world‟s single largest concentration of nuclear facilities, with 36 per cent of the UK‟s civil nuclear industry at Sellafield, West Cumbria is renowned for its internationally unique skills base and technological expertise. With a new renaissance in the UK‟s nuclear industry, West Cumbria is in pole position to become one of Britain‟s fastest growing sub-regional economies, combating climate change and helping secure the nation‟s energy supply. However, it is still important that people and companies in West Cumbria continue to investigate how skills and technologies, developed within the nuclear sector, can be successfully used in and adapted for other markets throughout the world.” DTI‟s Energy White Paper and consultation on the Future of Nuclear Power Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alistair Darling, has launched the Government‟s Energy White Paper and consultation on the Future of Nuclear Power. The consultation on nuclear follows Greenpeace‟s judicial review victory over the Energy Review in February and contains all the background research done for the original review. The consultation will include deliberative consultation exercises with the public. The consultation will be open until 10 October and the Government expects to make a decision by the end of the year. The White Paper highlights the risk of a looming energy gap being filled with imported fossil fuels, and the resultant implications for carbon emissions and security of supply. For these reasons is makes nuclear, along with strengthened support for renewables a central pillar of the paper, allowing the UK to retain a diverse energy mix. In addition the government has launched several other consultations including on the justification process for new reactors under the Euratom Treaty, strategic siting assessments for new reactors, reform of the renewables obligation system, reform of the gas act, and carbon reduction targets for large businesses. There are also many background documents including a report from Jackson Consulting on the suitability of existing sites for new build which can be found here: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/imagelibrary/detail.asp?MediaDetailsID=203181 These announcements can be summarised as: A requirement for new meters to come with a real-time display from 2008 and a short term offer of free displays from energy suppliers for households to 2010. In
addition, the Government is encouraging the introduction of smart meters, also with displays, in the household sector and for small firms and expects everyone to have a smart meter within 10 years, whilst requiring smart meters for all but the smallest of businesses in the next five years. A consultation setting out how the energy efficiency of consumer electronics will need to improve is published. A consultation to double energy suppliers‟ current obligation to deliver energy efficiency measures to customers through a new „Carbon Emission Reduction Target‟. A cap and trade „Carbon Reduction Commitment‟ for large commercial organisations such as banks, supermarkets and large local authorities. A „Distributed Generation‟ Report is published including simplification of energy market and licensing arrangements for localised energy by the end of 2008 and clearer export tariffs from all six major energy suppliers for microgenerators to sell excess electricity. Legislation to band the Renewables Obligation to benefit offshore wind, wave, tidal and other emerging technologies. The cap on the amount of co-firing generation qualifying for support will be removed. Publication of a Biomass Strategy as well as a response to „ Creating Value from Renewable Materials‟ – a 2 year progress report on the Strategy for Non – Food Crops and Uses. Detail on the competition announced in the Budget to build the world‟s first endto-end Carbon Capture and Storage plant, which will deliver at least 300MW capacity, 90% CO2 saving, and be up and running between 2011 and 2014. Legislation to allow the storage of natural gas under the seabed and unloading of Liquefied Natural Gas at sea. A three month deadline within which DTI will make consent decisions on large scale energy projects, pending more radical reforms set out in the Planning White Paper. A new energy market information and analysis service from this autumn. A Low Carbon Transport Innovation Strategy is published backed by funding of £20m for public procurement of low carbon vehicles, an up to £30m R&D „Innovation Platform‟ and £5m additional funding for the Energy Technologies Institute.
Further information can be found from: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/infocus/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=360&ReleaseID=286369, http://www.gnn.gov.uk/infocus/detail.asp?NewsAreaID=360&ReleaseID=286370 http://www.direct.gov.uk/nuclearpower2007 (Thanks to Amanda McMillan, NIA, for original summary) Rosie Mathisen 24 May 2007