Treasury admits 'mistake' over nuclear power cost
Scottish National Party Media Release, Mon, April 22 2013
A UK government report has revealed the estimated cost of decommissioning nuclear power has increased by around £16 billion in 4 years with the Treasury admitting to a mistake over its failure to calculate the costs.
The Public Accounts Committee report shows the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s estimated cost of civil nuclear decommissioning increased by around £16 billion to £53 billion between 2007 and 2011. The report claims “The Treasury acknowledged that not considering these costs when the power stations were built had been a mistake.”
“This report is further evidence that Westminster cannot be trusted.
“The recent announcement of public funding for nuclear energy projects had already shattered Westminster's no nuclear subsidy promise and demonstrated that the Westminster Government simply cannot keep its word.
“With a recent opinion poll showing that a majority of people in Scotland are opposed to new nuclear energy, there is no justification for Westminster to be wasting public money in this way.
"Nuclear energy simply cannot be delivered without eye-wateringly high cost. In these difficult economic times, the last thing people need is to see their money wasted on nuclear white elephants that are significantly more expensive than renewable options.
"Scotland has massive renewable resources and as European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said just a few weeks Embargoedago, can be a renewable energy powerhouse of Europe. Why on earth would anyone want to put all of that at risk by diverting money to pay for new nuclear white-elephants that are significantly more expensive than renewables?
"With the Westminster government breaking promise after promise, it is little wonder that people in Scotland want major decisions to be made by a Scottish Government directly accountable to people living here.
"Only a Yes vote will ensure that the decisions that matter to Scotland are made by a Scottish Parliament directly elected by people living in Scotland."
A copy of the report can be found here (page 10): http://www.publications.
