UK to decide on nuclear power by end of 2006: energy minister

London (Platts)--29Sep2005

The UK government will make a decision on nuclear power by the end of
2006, energy minister Malcolm Wicks told the "Financial Times" newspaper
Wednesday.
     The acceleration of the timetable on the nuclear debate reflects the
importance UK Prime Minister Tony Blair attaches to energy policy, Wicks told
the FT. A government review of energy policy next year would "have to include
a proposal about nuclear," Wicks said. "The proposal could be 'no,' it could
be 'yes'," he told the newspaper.
     Wicks went on to say that nuclear and renewable energy were
complementary. "Some people are fearful that what Tony Blair said undermines
the renewables industry. Well, it doesn't. I'm confident that by 2020, we're
going to be getting 20% (of electricity) from renewables," he said.
     Blair said Britain would have to consider a new generation of civil
nuclear power plants if it wanted to address the twin issues of energy policy
and global warming, speaking at his ruling Labour Party's annual conference in
Brighton earlier this week.
     In his speech, Blair twinned the energy and climate change issues, saying
that in 2006, "building on Britain's Kyoto commitments, we will publish
proposals on energy policy."

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