Fresh call for the Scottish Government to drop its block on new nuclear power as Liberal Democrats want the far north in contention after the UK government pledged to invest £2.5 billion in small reactors
A fresh call has been made for the Scottish Government to drop its block on new nuclear power facilities after the UK government said it would invest £2.5 billion in small reactors.
Dounreay has been mooted by backers of nuclear power as a potential location for one of 10 small modular reactors. or SMRs. that will be developed by Rolls-Royce over the next decade.
The new-generation reactors are aimed at meeting the UK’s growing electricity demands, are faster to develop than full-size reactors and could create thousands of skilled jobs.
Far north Liberal Democrats have now written to the energy secretary Gillian Martin to urge her to “think again” so nuclear can play a part in Scotland’s decarbonised energy mix.
This intervention follows Ms Martin saying again that the Scottish Government will maintain its moratorium on new nuclear facilities by blocking projects with devolved planning powers.

She was responding to news of the significant funding coming from the UK government for nuclear power plants in England which are expected to come online by the early 2030s.
The effective ban on new nuclear by the SNP has not gone down well in parts of Caithness as the county has enjoyed generations of high-quality jobs at Dounreay, which is now being decommissioned.
In their letter, MP Jamie Stone and the Lib-Dem’s Caithness, Sutherland and Ross candidate David Green said: “Context is everything when it comes to public policy. With the UK government announcing significant backing for new nuclear, there now exists real potential to create many more jobs as part of our net-zero ambitions.
“While UK ministers must be held accountable, it looks likely that people in Scotland will miss out on job opportunities due to the Scottish Government’s de facto ‘ban’ on new nuclear.
“If ministers are serious about achieving net-zero targets in a way that commands public support, we urge you to think again.”
The expert body – Climate Change Committee (CCC) – that advises both UK and devolved governments said nuclear power is essential to the UK’s decarbonised electricity mix.
In evidence to Westminster in March, the CCC concluded that 38 per cent of electricity in 2050 should come from ‘firm’ sources, of which nuclear is the only proven low‑carbon option at scale.
In the letter to Ms Martin, Mr Stone and Mr Green urged her to “listen directly to communities” across the far north who have long expressed their belief that nuclear must be part of Scotland’s clean energy mix.
But those arguments fell on deaf ears, as a Scottish Government spokesman wrote off nuclear power as expensive, adding that it takes too long to build.
He said: “The Scottish Government is focused on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland’s immense renewable energy capacity rather than expensive new nuclear energy which takes decades to build and creates toxic waste which is difficult and costly to dispose of.”
According to polling published last month by Opinium, a majority of 56 per cent of Scots surveyed said they supported nuclear power as a means to reaching net zero.
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Mr Stone said: “In order to support the Scottish energy sector as the UK continues to embrace nuclear power, it is vital that the SNP scrap their opposition to nuclear energy.
“Caithness has long supported the nuclear sector, with Dounreay supporting local jobs and sustainable energy for decades. This support is not just constrained to Caithness. I see support across the Highlands, and we should be embracing it.
“The creation of more nuclear reactors means the creation of more high-quality jobs for communities.
“I have great hope that the Scottish Government reconsider the benefits of championing nuclear energy in Scotland - especially in the far north. We don’t want to be left behind.”
Mr Green added: “There can be no shying away from the climate crisis. It is therefore essential that the Scottish Government delivers on our obligations towards net-zero, but to do that they must take the public with them.
“Imagine what it could mean for the far north where there is a highly skilled workforce, huge potential and a community eager for the opportunities? The debate has moved forward, it now only requires the SNP to catch up or move out of the way.”