Britain to Expand Nuclear Power System

The British government announced Thursday the country will be getting a series of new nuclear power plants to decrease dependence on fossil fuels.

British Business Secretary John Hutton told Parliament many of the existing plants will be decommissioned by 2023 and said the first new station will be in operation well before 2020, the Daily Express reported.

Set against the challenges of climate change and security of supply, the evidence in support of new nuclear power stations is compelling, Hutton said. We should positively embrace the opportunity of delivering this important part of our energy policy.

The reference to security of supply voiced the government’s concerns Russia could exploit its control of the supply of fossil fuels to hold Western Europe to ransom, The Times of London reported.

Before Hutton made the announcement, the environmental group Greenpeace claimed there was an environmental lie in the nuclear plan as far as carbon reduction, The Times said.

(The) minister’s own research found that even 10 new reactors would only cut the U.K.’s carbon emissions by about 4 percent some time after 2025, said Greenpeace U.K. Executive Director John Sauven.