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Minister provokes nuclear war over Scotland’s energy future

Minister provokes nuclear war over Scotland’s energy future scotsman.com  16 April 2009By Jenny Haworth THE UK government was accused last night of trying to frustrate Scotland’s push for renewable energy by bullying the SNP into accepting new nuclear power stations……………………………..The SNP administration has consistently ruled out any new nuclear power stations in Scotland after the closure of the existing two plants – Hunterston and Torness in East Lothian. Instead, it intends to focus on renewables…………………….Mr Mather was quick to emphasise yesterday that he was focusing on renewable sources of energy rather than nuclear power.

“Scotland simply doesn’t want or need dangerous and unnecessary new nuclear power stations, with soaring decommissioning costs and the unresolved problem of storage of radioactive waste that burdens future generations for thousands of years,” he said.

“Every pound invested in new nuclear power in other parts of the UK is a pound less on developing renewable and clean energy technology.”

He added that the SNP administration was focusing on developing Scotland’s “real strengths” – harnessing the country’s vast renewable energy potential.

“With around a quarter of Europe’s wave and tidal energy potential, as well as massive wind power opportunities, there are fantastic economic and employment opportunities, and the Scottish Government recently announced plans to create 16,000 green energy-related jobs in Scotland over the next decade,” Mr Mather said.

“Renewable technologies, including wind, water, biomass, wave and tidal, backed up by clean thermal base-load, can meet our energy needs many times over.”

Minister provokes nuclear war over Scotland’s energy future – Scotsman.com News

April 16, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | antinuclear, nuclear