GMB: Ministers are ignoring huge economic benefits of new nuclear energy
Holyrood ministers are refusing to analyse the economic benefits of new nuclear energy despite tens of thousands of jobs being created in England, according to GMB Scotland.
Information obtained by GMB Scotland reveals the Scottish Government has done no research into the potential economic impact of new mini reactors north of the border.
The union is urging the Scottish Government to reconsider its ban on new nuclear power to help meet net zero targets, deliver secure energy and create thousands of well-paid jobs.
Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, branded the failure of the Scottish Government to properly analyse the potential economic benefits of nuclear energy “a dereliction of duty.”
She said: “New nuclear can help provide a baseload of safe, clean and secure energy while creating thousands of good, skilled, unionised jobs in Scotland.
“The Scottish Government’s refusal to discuss the potential benefits in public is one thing but to discover it is not even analysing them in private seems beyond belief.
“To allow ministers’ ideological opposition to nuclear energy to block analysis of its potentially huge economic benefits is a dereliction of duty.”
She spoke out after the union asked the Scottish Government for its analysis of the economic impact of decommissioning the Hunterston nuclear plant, in Ayrshire, now underway, and Torness, in East Lothian, where decommissioning is due to begin in 2030.
It also asked for the analysis of the economic benefits linked to the potential expansion of new nuclear stations in Scotland.
In response, to the request submitted under Freedom of Information legislation, the union was told: “The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.”
Gilmour said the need for Holyrood ministers to end their opposition to nuclear power has become even more urgent after the UK Government recently announced £14 billion investment in a new plant at Sizewell C.
Meanwhile, the nuclear plant being built at Hinkley Point C in Somerset is estimated to have created 1600 jobs for Scots workers and the awarding of almost £300m of contracts to Scots firms.
Across Britain, 26,000 skilled, well-paid workers are now helping build the nuclear plant, in Somerset, which, according to EDF, the state-owned French energy company steering the huge construction project, is contributing £13.3bn to the UK economy.
Analysis by GMB suggests suggests small modular reactors (SMRs) at Hunterston could create up to 800 jobs generating £60million a year in wages. At Torness, two new reactors would create up to jobs for 1000 workers being paid £90m annually.
Business rates and contractors working at the plants would also generate hundreds of millions of pounds for the local economies with industry experts suggesting construction and operation of new nuclear reactors in Scotland would easily generate £1 billion for the economy over five years.
The nuclear industry supports almost 3700 jobs in Scotland adding £400million to the economy but Gilmour said that is only a fraction of the potential economic benefits if the Scottish Government reverses its ban on new nuclear power.
She has urged ministers to trigger an immediate review of future options at Scotland’s existing nuclear facilities at Hunterston and Torness.
Gilmour said: “The commitment to constructing nuclear plants south of the border is helping the UK drive towards Net Zero while creating tens of thousands of jobs.
“The huge economic benefits will be enjoyed across Britain but will mostly be felt in the communities around Hinkley Point and Sizewell in the south of England.
“Those same benefits can be generated for Scotland at Hunterston and, especially, Torness, where there is even more space for development.
“The planned decommissioning of the site must be paused until the possible development and its potential benefits are fully detailed and understood.”
