UK ‘running to catch up’ with nuclear power

Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Bowie acknowledged that the UK is now playing “catch up” after years of delay. “I make no bones about it, we should have done this years ago, we are running to catch up but we have just this year delivered our civil nuclear road map, we have announced our intention to build a third gigawatt project we are investing £350 million in new nuclear power to ease Vladimir Putin out of the nuclear fuels market,” he said. “But of course this should have been done years ago which is why we are having to take the action in the way that we are right now.” He said ministers had “full confidence” in the UK’s sea deterrent but acknowledged it was in need of a “refresh”. When it was put to him Britain’s nuclear submarine fleet was feeling the strain, he said: “We have got full confidence in our submariners, in the Royal Navy and in our ability to maintain our continuous at sea deterrent, something we have been doing for over 55 years. Asked about the energy minister’s remarks later on Monday, he told reporters at BAE Systems Submarines in Barrow: “What we have seen under the Conservatives has been a renaissance in the nuclear industry and that’s because the Conservative Party is one that unequivocally backs nuclear power and our nuclear deterrent.” He added: “These decisions do take time, but if you look at what’s happened since 2010, we have green-lighted Sizewell C Hinkley Point, so two nuclear power stations, we are making progress on small modular reactors and we have recommitted to our nuclear deterrent and a new generation of nuclear submarines and a replacement warhead.