Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether Heysham and Hartlepool are being considered as sites for large nuclear or small modular reactors.

Andrea Leadsom

The Nuclear National Policy Statement, approved by Parliament in July 2011, identified eight potentially suitable sites for new nuclear power stations. The Government welcomes proposals for development at all eight sites. No proposals for development have so far been made for two of the sites – Heysham and Hartlepool.

During the Budget, my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the launch of phase one of a competitive process to identify which Small Modular Reactor designs could feasibly be delivered in the UK. Government also made a commitment to publish an SMR delivery roadmap to clarify the UK’s plan for addressing SMR related siting, regulatory approvals and skills issues.

The Government will address the issue of site identification for SMRs, but no potential sites or siting criteria have been identified at present.