[S]ue Hayman, Labour Member of Parliament for Workington, says the Government must step in now to save NuGen’s Moorside nuclear power station project and give hope for 20,000 Cumbrian jobs.
Sue has today written to Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, asking for a public commitment that the Government will support Moorside so that potential investors have the confidence to buy in to the project.
Sue, who is co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Nuclear Energy, said: “NuGen is now in the last chance saloon. The Government must act now or it will be too late, and West Cumbria will not get the 20,000 jobs, economic investment and infrastructure improvements that depend on Moorside.
“Labour pledged over a year ago to underwrite the Moorside project so that potential buyers would have the confidence to invest. The Conservatives have done nothing, despite knowing that Toshiba was looking to sell NuGen by the end of July this year, and now NuGen is winding down and about to lay off 100 staff.
“The Government has given public commitments on new nuclear at Hinkley Point C in Somerset and Wylfa in Wales, and has done a deal with China over Bradwell in Essex and Sizewell in Suffolk.
“Today, we need the same sort of commitment to Moorside, or it will be yet another kick in the teeth for Cumbria.”
The Korean nuclear company Kepco has been poised to buy NuGen from Toshiba, which announced last year it would be exiting the civil nuclear industry. But the deal has stalled, in the absence of the supportive signals the Government has given to other nuclear projects.
Sue and Tony Lywood, Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Copeland, are working together on Labour’s commitment to Moorside.
Tony said: “Only Labour has said it will underwrite Moorside. Back in February 2017, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, said that a Labour Government would take an equity share to ensure this vital power station goes ahead.
“She called then for urgent assurances from the Government on the future of Moorside. More than a year later, they have said nothing. Time has now run out; the Government must act now or it will be held responsible for the loss of thousands of future jobs in Copeland and beyond.”
