Commenting on today’s announcement from energy giants Eon and RWE that they’ve shelved plan for new nuclear plants in the UK, Friends of the Earth’s Energy Campaigner Paul Steedman said:

“This seems to be virtually game over for new nukes in the UK.

“With energy firms abandoning plans for nuclear across Europe, the Government should end its fixation with a technology that has always delivered late and over budget, on the odd occasion it has delivered at all.

“This blows a massive hole in the Government’s ill-judged plans for more risky, expensive nuclear power.

“But filling this hole by increasing our reliance on imported gas – as recent Government plans suggest – would be a disaster for bill payers.

“The Government must now listen to the overwhelming majority of people who want the UK to turn to the plentiful clean energy sources from the wind, sun and sea on our doorstep, which would create thousands of jobs.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. DECC’s statistics released today show that renewables’ share of generation increased by 2.5 percentage points on 2010 to a record 9.5 per cent. Hydro generation increased by 58 per cent on 2010 as a result of higher rainfall, whilst wind rose by 54.5 per cent, of which offshore wind rose by 68 per cent, due to higher wind speeds and increased capacity. Overall hydro and wind generation was 55.5 per cent higher than in 2010.
2. 86 per cent of people support an independent public inquiry into the big six energy companies, according to a YouGov survey carried out for Friends of the Earth and Compass on 16-18 February 2012. The poll also showed strong support for clean British energy – 70 per cent of people want the Government to force the big energy companies to invest in power from the UK’s wind, sun, waves and tides.
3. More than 30,000 people have joined Friends of the Earth's Final Demand campaign, launched in October last year, which calls for energy we can all afford and a public inquiry into the power and influence of the Big Six energy companies.