Speaking at a CBI conference in London, Brown recognised the importance of the nuclear new build programme in drivinf down carbon emissions and ensuring that the lights stay on, and the UK’s crucial services continue to be supplied with reliable base-load power.

Brown commented: “our commitment to prepare for, and meet, our future energy needs with a shift to low carbon. To lead the world we have to invest now in renewables in carbon capture and storage, and in new nuclear power stations”.

Brown also noted that the ambitious plans brought forward by the private sector could even see new build eclipse the 15% of UK electricity which nuclear currently provides. He noted that: “we will now build not 12 gigawatts of nuclear capacity but 16 gigawatts, a total for new building that is bigger than all our current nuclear capacity and represents significant progress towards a low carbon future”.

The UK has 10 operational nuclear power stations, supplying around 15% of our electricity – approximately 80% of our low carbon electricity. Nuclear power is the UKs only low-carbon base-load provider.

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