Tony Blair calls for "an assessment of all options, including civil nuclear power" at the Labour conference

The review is a historic opportunity for the nuclear industry. It presents the first close examination of the issue of new nuclear reactors in a generation.

In its previous pronouncements on energy, the government took no decisions. The 2003 White Paper, merely agreed to keep the nuclear option open. However, much has changed in the energy world since then. The oil price has quadrupled and the gas price has increased so dramatically that many generators have switched back to coal fired generation. Partly as a result of this we will now miss our carbon reduction targets. At the same time our security of supply has been eroded as we become a net energy importer. We are also facing real risks of shortages in the coming winters.

Given this background it is unsurprising that the government wishes to look again at the issue of energy and to examine the use of new nuclear plant in particular. This will however be an open review, government ministers have been very keen to point out that all options will be considered. That could include the option of having no new nuclear power stations.

Industry must make the case for new nuclear build otherwise the review will not deliver. Nuclear has clear benefits in terms of helping to meet our international emissions commitments and in ensuring security of electricity supply. It also has a more predictable cost than most forms of generation. Nuclear can be part of the solution to these issues but there will be those that argue it shouldn't. The industry needs to be prepared to demonstrate its competence, prove that it is a modern and reliable partner for electricity production.

NIA made a good start on promoting the benefits of nuclear to the politicians at this year's party conferences, hosting a range of very well attended fringe meetings at the three party conferences. The NIA also represented the industry with a stand in the exhibition at the Labour conference. As part of our activities we also made and renewed a wide range of contacts across the parties over the three weeks of conferences. The industry was generally very well received and energy is certainly moving rapidly up the political agenda. There is a full report on the industry's activities during the conference season in the centre pages of this issue of Industry Link.