Downing Street Says » Nuclear Power

Asked about the energy announcements on Thursday, the PMS said that it would include the decision of whether or not to go ahead with the next generation of nuclear power stations. Asked what else would be included, the PMS said that it would probably be best to wait for the announcement.

Asked if it would come in the form of a statement and would Cabinet be discussing the issue tomorrow, the PMS replied that that was his anticipation. Put that this would be the decision to go ahead with nuclear power, the PMS replied that a consultation had been undertaken; that consultation had now concluded and the Government would need to make a decision in the light of that consultation.

Asked to comment on the Guardian article claiming that the tax-payer may have to foot the bill for decommissioning power stations, the PMS said that we had always been clear on nuclear power, that if the Government did decide that new nuclear power should be an option, then owners and operators of the new nuclear power stations would have to set aside funds to cover the full costs of decommissioning.

The Government had always been clear that the full share of costs of long-term management and disposal of waste should fall on the operators. As a general principle, of course there were costs associated with decommissioning nuclear waste and clearly, it was right that those costs were borne by the operators and that had always been the Government’s position.

Put that one of the problems of nuclear power was the fact that companies could not see any medium-term return on investment, the PMS replied that these were commercial decisions that would have to be taken by commercial operators. At the moment, we were still in the realms of the hypothetical, because the Government had not yet made any announcement in relation to nuclear power.

Asked specifically about the word "share" in relation to the cost of decommissioning, the PMS said for detailed questions such as this, it would be best to speak to the department and wait for the announcement on Thursday. Asked if a full share meant the full costs, the PMS again asked people to check with the department. The full share was what the Government was saying in relation to the long-term management and disposal of waste, and the full cost was what the Government was saying in relation to decommissioning.

Asked what the Prime Minister’s view was on the Scottish Government’s decision to go against any new nuclear power stations, the PMS said that the Prime Minister’s general view was that we do have to take some difficult decisions about the future energy security of our country.

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» Monday, January 7, 2008

Nuclear Power

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