The nuclear industry is a failed experiment we can't afford to repeat

January 3rd 2008

The nuclear industry is a failed experiment, a near bankrupt industry the government had to step in and save a couple of years ago. The current nuclear fleet cost £50 billion to build, it produced 20% of our power in the UK - for the same sum of money we could power the whole of Europe with wind energy. Even with billions of public money invested, it's still not able to stand on it's own two feet - quite incredible really. Economics of the madhouse...

And it's predicted that it will cost another £50 billion to contain the mess - and that's really a wet finger in the air, because we have no idea really how to handle the waste. The legacy in waste terms is monstrous.

On top of that, Gordon Brown may say that nuclear is the answer to our fuel insecurity, but the UK doesn't have uranium - we'll still have to import that, and with every country in the world pursuing the same idea, it's going to be in short supply. It went up in price ten fold in the last year or so.

Gordon says we need to make tough decisions - onshore wind is a far less tough decision, it needs support, but the government avoids mention of it like the plague. And then there's the Severn Barrage, needs just £15 billion and will generate 5% of the UK's needs for 10 years - with no toxic waste.

This will be a good test of Cameron's credentials - will he support the government? A chance to show his true colours?

Dale Vince, MD Ecotricity