Vengeance is mine?

Nuclear power is “back on the agenda with a vengeance”. Prime minister Tony Blair’s no doubt carefully chosen words, speaking at a CBI dinner, have predictably fired up the debate on the issue. While his “vengeance agenda” also encompassed “a big push on renewables and a step change on energy efficiency, engaging both business and consumers”, it was the nuclear option which drew all the attention. Blair told parliament the following day that failing to consider it would be a “dereliction of duty”. By going public on his pro-nuclear views (which had long been an open secret), Blair caught a lot of flak for appearing to pre-empt the government’s energy review. That’s not due out until late July – though the prime minister said he’d seen “a first cut” of it. The nuclear lobby responded with tactfully restrained glee, but don’t hold your breath waiting for commercial investors to rush in. They may be swarming round the pots of money we’ll be paying out to decommission the old nuclear power stations, but before they start throwing themselves into any new nuclear adventure, they’ll be pressing for hefty support, a more favourable planning regime – and assurances of a generous bail-out from the public purse if it all goes pear-shaped.

8 July 2006