Nuclear Power Stations: Sussex

Tim Loughton
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department plans to carry out a consultation in Sussex on the feasibility of locating new nuclear power stations in the county.

Malcolm Wicks
[holding answer 14 June 2007]: Any new nuclear power stations would be built by the private sector but no decisions would be taken on any potential location for a new nuclear power station pending the carrying out of a full strategic siting assessment (SSA). DTI is currently consulting on a proposed SSA process, which would be implemented if the Government confirm their preliminary view that it is in the public interest to allow energy companies the option of investing in new nuclear power stations. The proposed SSA process would include a public consultation on draft SSA criteria, and a further public consultation on a draft list of locations judged to have met this criteria.

In advance of such an SSA being carried out, and subject to the outcome of the Government's consultation on the future of nuclear power, DTI has no plans to consult on the feasibility of locating new nuclear power stations in any particular geographical area. However, any proposed locations for new nuclear power stations emerging from an SSA would be the subject of local consultation through the planning process.