The government said that specific public subsidies will not be applicable to the nuclear inudstry as it is a mature technology, according to Energy Efficeincy News.
UK energy secretary Chris Huhne said that nuclear power will continue to play a pivotal role in the energy mix of the country and it will benefit from current frameworks to encourage low-carbon electricity generation such as the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and the Government’s plans for a carbon floor price.
The energy secretary said that these measures will provide greater investor certainty, sufficient to keep to the schedule of new nuclear power by 2018.
Law firm Eversheds, however, said that there should be a level playing field for all low-carbon technologies, hence, nuclear power should be able to benefit in the same way as renewables do from publicly funded schemes such as feed-in tariffs and Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs).
Eversheds nuclear partner and head Rob Pitcher said that this issue needs to be addressed if private investors are to be given the sense of security they will need if the momentum behind the proposed new nuclear build program is to be kept up.
