GMB demands ‘home-grown’ energy supplies

Chinese-built “pop up power stations” are not the answer claims trade union

The trade union GMB has called on the government to fund more “home-grown” energy supplies, following the National Audit Office’s (NAO) report on Hinkley Point C.

The NAO report, which was published yesterday, was highly critical of the economic case for the controversial nuclear power station and branded it “marginal and subject to significant uncertainty”.

The GMB’s national secretary for energy, Justin Bowden, said the NAO report “raises valid concerns about whether the deal represents value for money for the British public”.

“We need a proper strategy to replace our existing energy supply with a programme of new builds, financed from the public purse,” added Bowden.

“Chinese-built pop up power stations are not the answer, it is beyond stupid for the UK to rely on foreign governments and companies to build our vital energy infrastructure and keep Britain’s lights on,” the union boss boss insisted.

“Apart from anything else, funding it directly from taxation would be a significantly cheaper option for consumers.”

The NAO report also concluded that BEIS had “not sufficiently” considered the costs and risks of its deal for consumers because it only examined the impact on bills until 2030, long before consumers will have stopped paying for the scheme through their electricity bills.

But it found the department’s capacity to take alternative approaches to the deal were limited once it had agreed key commercial terms on the deal in 2013.