Government close to approving nuclear stations

The Government has hinted that it will approve a new generation of nuclear power stations on the ground that the move would combat climate change.

As the Government's review of Britain's energy needs closed yesterday, Malcolm Wicks, the Energy minister, suggested there was little common ground among the 2,000 responses and 500 energy and environment experts consulted. Although ministers insist they are "nuclear neutral", Mr Wicks said: "Climate change, declining domestic production, increased prices and an increased reliance on overseas sources have forced the issue.

"Our response must be underpinned by our key energy policy goals: to cut the UK's carbon dioxide emissions, to maintain reliability of supply, to promote competitive markets and to end the cruel correlation between being old and being cold."

Mr Wicks, a Department of Trade and Industry minister who is heading the review, will submit his report to Mr Blair this summer. He said the consultation exercise launched three months ago had sparked "some heated debate" among environmentalists, energy groups, the public, and business. "It is now time for us to analyse this evidence, incorporate it together with our own analysis and thinking," he said.

Yesterday's intervention by Sir David King, the Government's chief scientist, about the dangers of climate change was seen by green groups as part of a "softening-up exercise" to prepare Britain for a new wave of nuclear power stations. Sir David believes the nuclear industry, which creates no carbon emissions, is part of the answer to global warming and is believed to have convinced Tony Blair.

Charlie Kronick, the chief policy adviser at Greenpeace UK, said: "David King is an advocate of nuclear power. If we are serious about addressing climate change, we need to start reducing emissions dramatically in the next 10 years. You are not going to be able to build, as David King would like to see, 20 nuclear power stations, in anything less than 20 to 30 years."

Tom Burke, visiting professor at Imperial College London and a former government adviser on green issues, said: "David King is sending us off in the wrong direction. He is a very strong promoter of nuclear power. I don't think nuclear power can do very much to help us with that [climate change]."

Mr Blair's ambitions will receive another setback tomorrow when the all-party Environmental Audit Committee will conclude that more nuclear stations would do little to plug the short-term gap in Britain's electricity needs because of the long lead time needed to build them.

Doubts raised will include the financing of new plants, the risk of them being attacked by terrorists and the disposal of waste.

Last month, the Government's Sustainable Development Commission, which is chaired by Sir Jonathan Porritt, concluded that a new nuclear programme was not the answer to the twin challenges of climate change and security of supply. It also listed five "major disadvantages" to nuclear power.