UK Announces Proposal For 11 New Nuclear Sites

LONDON, UK (RPRN) 04/15/09-A list of eleven sites that could be potential hosts to new nuclear power stations in the UK is published today. Members of the public now have a month to comment on the proposed sites before the nuclear planning consultation later this year. The Department of Energy and Climate Change published the list today after vetting all applications to ensure they were credible, that the sites could be operational by 2025 and that the nominator had raised public awareness of their intention to nominate.

The eleven sites are:

* Hartlepool nominated by EDF Energy
* Heysham nominated by EDF Energy
* Dungeness nominated by EDF Energy
* Sellafield nominated by NDA
* Kirksanton nominated by RWE
* Braystones nominated by RWE
* Wylfa Peninsula nominated by NDA and RWE
* Oldbury nominated by NDA and EON
* Hinkley Point nominated by EDF Energy
* Bradwell nominated by NDA
* Sizewell nominated by EDF Energy

Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Department of energy and climate change said:

“This is another important step towards a new generation of nuclear power stations. I want to listen to what people have to say about these nominations and I encourage people to log-on to our website, read the information and let us have their comments. We will consider this alongside the advice of our independent expert regulators.

“Later this year we will be running a consultation on the draft list of sites, so people will have further opportunities to have their say.”

“Nuclear power is part of the low carbon future for Britain. It also has the potential to offer thousands of jobs to the UK and multi-million pound opportunities to British businesses”.

Following the one month public comment window, information from the public will be used alongside the advice of regulators and other specialists. Sites which are judged to be potentially suitable will be included in the draft National Policy Statement (NPS) on nuclear power which will be published later this year for public consultation. This is part of the new planning system under the new Planning Act 2008. The NPS will set the policy framework for the new independent Infrastructure Planning Commission’s decisions on new nuclear power.