THE government is planning to trigger a huge new building programme for nuclear power, it emerged last night.

Joan MacNaughton, the director general of energy policy at the government's new Department of Productivity, has warned that policy targets to reduce climate changing greenhouse gases by boosting renewable energies are set to fail.

She says in a memorandum that ministers must take swift decisions on building nuclear power stations.

A briefing note for incoming ministers, written by MacNaughton, advises that "it is generally easier to push ahead on controversial issues early in a new parliament".

The document warns that while the UK now has 12 nuclear power stations providing 20 per cent of electricity needs, without emitting greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, this number will fall in the next 15 years to just three.

It also warns that power cuts may disrupt supplies after 2008, when many of the current nuclear plants will close.

In addition, the report says Britain is to become increasingly reliant on imported gas to fulfil the nation's energy needs.

The briefing note adds: "Extending the lives of nuclear stations and/or new build could strengthen the generating sector's contribution to CO2 reductions by 2020 and beyond."

Ministers need to decide quickly to build new stations because it takes 10 years to get them on line, the note says, adding that unless decisions are taken now there will be a steep drop in nuclear output.

The paper has come to light as the nuclear industry is gearing up for a major lobbying campaign for new stations.

The Nuclear Industry Association believes the UK needs 10 new nuclear stations to fulfil obligations on cutting greenhouse gases.

In Scotland, the most likely sites for new build are at Chapelcross, the site of a recently-closed nuclear power station on the Solway Firth and at Hunterston in Ayrshire, where the ageing nuclear plant is due to be phased out.

In her briefing note MacNaughton has warned that carbon dioxide emissions have been rising in recent years.

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