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The vote to leave the European Union last week will not affect the UK’s energy challenge, according to the head of the Nuclear Industry Association.
“The referendum result to leave the EU, just as had there been a result to remain, does not alter the fundamentals of the energy challenge the UK faces”, said chief executive Tom Greatrex at the World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris.
He continued: “Inside or outside the EU, our generation capacity has diminished – with more than 24GW of power having been retired in the last six years – and needs to be replaced. Inside or outside the EU, our requirement for secure and reliable power to complement wind and solar remains urgent. Inside or outside the EU, our commitments domestically and internationally mean we have to do that in as reliable and low carbon way as possible.”
Greatrex said whilst there is an “understandable clamour” for the government to provide answer to the questions thrown up by the referendum, the UK “cannot afford to have a long hiatus in investment in energy infrastructure”. “The clock is running, and has been for some time now,” he added.
He said what is needed in the wake of the vote is “cool heads” and “clarity of purpose” as well as a determination to ensure “the vital investment in energy infrastructure is delivered”. “That was the case last Wednesday, as it is today and as it will be next Wednesday too,” he concluded.
Speaking before the Energy and Climate Change Committee earlier today (29 June), energy minister Andrea Leadsom said there will be no change to the UK’s energy policy as a result of Brexit.
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