But the Government published a new Energy White Paper as recently as February 2003. This was produced after the most wide-ranging and long-term energy review for decades. It concluded that the economics of nuclear power make it an unattractive option and there are important issues about nuclear waste which need to be resolved. So, although the White Paper did not rule out the nuclear option, it decided the focus should be on promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.
And nuclear power is expensive. The industry has been subsidised to the tune of billions of pounds over the last 50 years - and has failed to perform. Money spent on subsidising nuclear stations will suppress the emergence of new, clean renewable technologies.
A dirty dangerous technology is not a sustainable way to address the problem of climate change.