NIA welcomes Ministerial Statement on Nuclear Energy
Welcoming today’s Ministerial Statement on nuclear energy and the government’s support of the Horizon Nuclear Power’s Wylfa Newydd project, Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, stated:
“Today’s announcement, which reiterated UK government support for civil nuclear as a vital element of a future low carbon power supply and confirmed the Horizon Wylfa Newydd project as the next element of our new build programme, is good news towards meeting our decarbonisation targets.
“This will also stimulate the UK industrial supply chain, its partnerships with Japanese counterparts, and provide highly skilled jobs and growth in North Wales.
“Nuclear power has made a massive contribution to the UK, providing reliable, secure and always available low carbon energy for sixty years. It remains the single largest source of low carbon electricity - providing more than 20% of the power the country generates for homes, businesses and public services.
“It has an integral role to play in a future low carbon mix as our energy infrastructure is upgraded, and ageing power plants replaced.
“The civil nuclear industry generates £6.4bn in GDP each year, and more than 64,000 highly skilled jobs across all parts of the country - equivalent to the entire value of the UK aerospace manufacturing sector.
“The industry particularly welcomes the news of government commitment to consider different funding models, including direct investment, for financing nuclear new build projects. This will reduce overall project costs and, in turn, the cost to consumers as we transition to a low carbon electricity system able to meet our future energy challenges.”
