NUCLEAR power is more valuable to Scotland’s economy than anywhere else in
the UK, according to new statistics.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that Scotland the
nuclear power sector was worth more than £660m to Scotland’s economy in
2014, and employed around 2000 full-time staff.
In Scotland, nuclear power accounts for nearly 12 per cent of all turnover
from low-carbon industries – including wind, hydro and solar – compared to
7.5 per cent in England.
As a proportion of turnover from all generating low carbon industries,
including wind, hydro and solar, nuclear accounts for 11.8 per cent of the
turnover – while in England, the proportion is just 7.5 per cent.
Scotland also has a higher percentage of its low-carbon industry workforce
in the nuclear power sector – 9.3 per cent compared to 6.7 per cent in
England.
Scotland has two nuclear power plants, Torness power station near Dunbar
and Hunterston B in Ayrshire which is in the process of being
decommissioned. Both are scheduled to close within the the next 15 years.
Tom Greatrex, Labour’s former Shadow Energy Secretary and MP for Rutherglen
and Hamilton West, said the figures unlined the value of nuclear to Scotland.
Mr Greatrex, who is now chief executive of the Nuclear Industry
Association, said: “While some commentators pit low carbon technologies
against each other, each has a role to play and must work together to
replace the ageing generation plant, improve security of supply and reduce
our carbon emissions in line with legally binding targets.
“To meet the objective of a secure low carbon generation mix, new nuclear
will need to be part of a broad mix for the future.”
More than 70 per cent of Scotland’s electricity is generated by low carbon
sources compared to 39 per cent for the UK as a whole. In Scotland, around
two thirds of low-carbon electricity come from renewable sources with the
rest from nuclear.
However, the SNP is committed to axing nuclear and generating 100 per cent
of Scotland’s electricity from renewables.
A spokesman for the SNP said the party supported extensions for existing
nuclear power stations but remained “absolutely committed to diversifying
our low carbon sector”.
He added: “With the right support for renewables we can unlock billions in
investment, creating more jobs and a sustainable industry for the future –
which does not come with the huge expense of more nuclear power stations.”
Dr Richard Dixon, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said nuclear
was “neither low carbon nor a part of the solution to climate change”.
He said: “These statistics are not comparing like for like in terms of jobs
or turnover. In England, the jobs are in building new stations like the
quixotic Hinkley Point whereas jobs in Scotland are mostly keeping old
stations struggling on.
“Ironically, there will be plenty of jobs for years to come in cleaning up
the toxic mess created by the nuclear industry.”
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