British Carbon Reduction Plans in Jeopardy

Energy company Hitachi has announced that it is suspending work on the planned Wylfa nuclear power project in Wales. This puts plans of the British Government in jeopardy to reduce carbon emissions.

RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive Emma Pinchbeck comments on Hitachi's decision: “Today’s announcement risks blowing a hole in the Government’s plans to meet our carbon targets. We have the technologies, like renewables and nuclear, that can deliver a low carbon energy system and Government is rightly backing our world leading offshore wind sector, which can meet a third of our power needs by 2030.

“But Government has to review how it’s using low carbon policies or we risk relying more heavily on polluting gas and coal. As the cheapest source of new power, onshore wind can make a major contribution to the UK’s clean growth ambitions.  We have a pipeline of shovel-ready onshore wind projects that can provide cheap power to consumers and help close the gap on our carbon targets and it’s time Government allowed onshore wind compete on a level-playing field, including letting projects compete for Contracts for Difference”.