OVER POUNDS STERLING
UNCLASSIFIED
41043
1
100 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT TO DATE. STRONG SUPPORT WILL
CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED FOR OUR PROGRAMMES ON WIND, TIDE AND
GEOTHERMAL HOT DRY ROCKS.
19. MY DECISION ON SIZEWELL B REINFORCES THE IMPORTANCE WHICH
THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES TO THE ROLE ALREADY PLAYED BY NUCLEAR
POWER WITHIN THE UK. IT NOW PROVIDES SOME 20 PER CENT OF OUR
ELECTRICITY REQUIREMENTS AND WITH THOSE STATIONS DUE FOR
COMMISSIONING IN THE NEAR FUTURE, A QUARTER OF BRITAIN'S
ELECTRICITY WILL COME FROM NUCLEAR POWER. ON ANY PROJECTION OF
WORLD ENERGY NEEDS THERE IS NO WAY OF MEETING THOSE NEEDS IN THE
COMING DECADES WITHOUT THE EMERGENCE OF A SUBSTANTIAL
CONTRIBUTION FROM NUCLEAR POWER. MY SIZEWELL DECISION TODAY
WILL ENABLE BRITAIN TO PLAY ITS PART IN THAT ENDEAVOUR.
ENDS
(FOR ROME) PLEASE PASS COPY TO MR SLATER
HOWE
OCMIAN 1043
NNNN
YYYY
MAIN
FCO/WHITEHALL
NED
CRES TO
MIR MORPHET DIEN
ME HADORII
+ A
6
UNCLASSIFIED