Scottish Greens: Nothing safe or secure about nuclear power
There is nothing safe or secure about nuclear power, according to the Scottish Greens, who believe that it would be a "backwards step" that "would cost hundreds of millions of pounds while leaving a toxic legacy for centuries."
This follows comments from the UK Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change, Greg Hands, who used a BBC interview on Monday's edition of Good Morning Scotland to urge the Scottish Government to 'rethink' its opposition to new nuclear power stations following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Scottish Greens economy spokesperson Maggie Chapman said: “There is nothing secure about Nuclear power. It is neither safe nor reliable, and, as Hinkley point shows, it is very expensive - customers will have to pay for it on top of the current cost of living crisis. Especially now, the last thing we need is a backwards step towards the nuclear industry, which would cost hundreds of millions of pounds while leaving a toxic legacy for centuries. And, it will take years to get on stream.
“Scotland has amazing potential in clean renewable energy, but it requires the political will to meet that. With Greens in government Scotland is paving the way for expansion, but while energy policy is reserved we’ve seen vast subsidies channelled into fossil fuels and nuclear by successive U.K. Governments.
"Proper investment in renewables will help us to tackle the climate emergency, drive down energy prices, and ensure we never have to rely on the nuclear industry or human rights abusing regimes like Russia or Saudi Arabia for our energy security."
