Britain must keep nuclear option open: Prime Minister Blair

London (Platts)--7Jul2004

The UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has came out in defense of nuclear generation
as a future source of energy. Tony Blair said the fuel could not be removed
from the agenda if Britain is serious about climate change. Blair told a
liaison panel of senior members of parliament Tuesday that he had fought "long
and hard to make sure the nuclear option was not closed off" in the
government's Energy White Paper and that "big and bold" decisions on
government policy would have to be taken in the long term. 

Blair said that a
decision on new nuclear was not needed now as the country could meet near-term
energy requirements, and said a substantial campaign would be required to
allay the public's safety concerns. Blair also told the panel that although
the US and UK still disagree on the Kyoto climate change treaty, opposition is
softening and the dialog should be maintained. He termed climate change "the
single biggest long-term problem we face."

Blair's comments echo the feelings of a number of European governments who are
in favor of keeping up investment in nuclear technology. Finland is to build a
nuclear power plant at Olkiluoto in western Finland, and France recently
presented a successful bid to build the experimental European Pressurized
Reactor. The EUs commissioner for transport and energy Loyola de Palacio has
for some time been calling for renewed effort and investment in nuclear
generation. While environmental campaigners argue that nuclear should not be
an option, there is a growing industry-wide perception that nuclear generation
could be a baseload backup for renewable sources of energy.

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