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Exit from the European Union could make it easier for Britain to develop nuclear power

5 ways Brexit would transform European energy, Politico, Sara Stefanini ,  5/10/16 Central and Eastern Europeans would lose a powerful ally, while nuclear and renewable investors would face an uncertain world. By A British vote to leave the European Union would force broad changes to the bloc’s energy policy, weakening its climate policy and removing a crucial Central European energy ally — but it could also give London far more freedom to pursue nuclear projects.

The U.K. is often an energy outlier in the EU, advocating nuclear power and shale gas sources shunned by others. And it tends to build alliances broadly aimed at keeping interference from Brussels to a minimum.

But both sides have a lot to lose.

A Brexit could undercut long-term climate policies in Brussels and London, and the EU would lose the U.K.’s pro-free market voice, which has historically helped tone down some more statist schemes coming from European capitals.

Here are the five ways that a Brexit would impact Europe’s energy and climate forecast:…….

4. The freedom to subsidize — maybe

One area the European Commission tries to avoid is state aid, particularly for energy projects.

But even when the Commission gives a green light, there’s the danger that another EU country might try to interfere. That’s what happened with Hinkley Point. Brussels approved a state aid plan in 2014, but Austria, backed by Luxembourg,challenged the decision in the European Court of Justice eight months later…….

Environmental advocates worry it would give the U.K. room to continue rolling back support for renewables in favor of other fuels.

“One of the reasons why the government has had to have a more sensible policy on these issues is because state aid disciplines have stopped it from throwing money at gas-powered stations and fracking and nuclear,” said  Nick Mabey, chief executive of the environmental analysis group E3G……..http://www.politico.eu/article/uk-brexit-renewable-energy-hinkley-nuclear-interconnectors-gas-climate-emissions-paris/

June 24, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, UK