PM puts growth ahead of NIMBYs as he unveils plans to build nuclear reactors

The Government has said it will generate thousands of highly skilled jobs by overhauling planning regulations, paving the way for new nuclear reactors. The Prime Minister has declared that a wave of nuclear power plants will get the green light across England and Wales as bureaucratic hurdles are set to be "slashed". These changes are expected to open doors for the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs), which officials claim will contribute to delivering clean, secure, and more affordable energy.

The Government has stated that "archaic" rules will be dismantled, putting economic growth ahead of local objectors, commonly referred to as NIMBYs. Ministers have pointed out that the UK has fallen behind in the international quest for cleaner, cheaper energy due to prolonged delays and hindrances, with the last nuclear power station having been built in 1995. Today's announcements include the integration of mini-nuclear power stations into planning legislation for the first time, alongside the abolition of a restrictive list of eight designated sites for their construction.

The expiry date on nuclear planning rules will be scrapped, and a Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce will be established. With Britain being among the most costly nations to build nuclear power facilities, this taskforce aims to expedite the approval process for new reactor designs and simplify interactions between developers and regulatory bodies. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has expressed frustration, stating: "This country hasn’t built a nuclear power station in decades. We’ve been let down and left behind.

"Our energy security has been hostage to Putin for too long, with British prices skyrocketing at his whims. "I’m putting an end to it – changing the rules to back the builders of this nation, and saying no to the blockers who have strangled our chances of cheaper energy, growth and jobs for far too long.". Energy Secretary Ed Miliband proclaimed: "Build, build, build – that is what Britain’s clean energy mission is all about.

"The British people have been left vulnerable to global energy markets for too long – and the only way out is to build our way to a new era of clean electricity. "Nuclear power creating thousands of skilled jobs. That is what this Government will deliver.". Energy minister Michael Shanks declined to set a specific date for when energy bills would fall due to the Government’s reforms but expressed the desire to see them drop "far quicker" than 2030. However, he cautioned that such changes would require time, stating on Times Radio: "I’d love to be able to say that we can flick a switch and reduce bills overnight. It’s just not going to (happen).".

Mr Shanks assured that communities would "absolutely have a voice" in planning for new reactors, despite concerns over how the Government’s push to cut through red tape might conflict with local resistance to development. “We need to build the infrastructure of the future if for no other reason than we know demand for electricity is going to increase so significantly in the coming years we have to meet that demand,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“What we’re saying today, though, that I think is really important, is that communities will still absolutely have a voice in the planning process, that’s really important.”. Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: "This is the Prime Minister’s strongest signal yet that new nuclear is critical to the growth and clean power mission. "A more streamlined planning system will give certainty to investors, the supply chain and communities, and will enable us to get on with building new nuclear plants on more sites and at pace for a cleaner, more secure power system.

"We need to make Britain the best possible place to build new nuclear, both large-scale and SMRs, which means avoiding unnecessary stumbling blocks and ensuring regulations are proportionate to our urgent need for low carbon power, energy security and good jobs.". Conservative shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie said: "It’s about time that Labour started to follow our lead in recognising the benefits of stable, reliable, baseload nuclear power.But it’s little comfort when Ed Miliband’s ideological approach to energy is sending bills through the roof, British jobs abroad, and denying billions of pounds of investment into Britain.