CECA welcomes plans for energy independence

95% of Great Britain’s energy could be low carbon by 2030 (Photo: Pexels)

The publication of the UK Government’s British Energy Security Strategy has been welcomed by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA).

The strategy aims to make cleaner and more affordable energy that will result in long-term independence for the UK, as it attempts to move away from the “rising global energy prices and volatility in international markets.”

This will see the acceleration of the use of nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, oil and gas generation, as well as delivering the equivalent to one nuclear reactor a year instead of one a decade.

In response to the announcement, Director of Operations for CECA, Marie-Claude Hemming said, “The changing geopolitical situation caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine underlines the need for the UK to be energy-secure, but this must only be done in the context of the imperative to achieve net zero and rise to the climate challenge.

“We are particularly glad to see that the UK Government is placing a renewed emphasis on new nuclear power, with the creation of a new Government body ‘Great British Nuclear’, which will be set up immediately to bring forward new projects, backed by substantial funding, and the launch of the £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund later this month.

“CECA has long argued that new nuclear must be an important part of the UK’s future energy mix, which must be based on a mixed portfolio of generation in order to keep the lights on and sustain our low-carbon future.

“Furthermore, the Government’s strategy will create thousands of highly-skilled jobs across the country, to the wider benefit of the economy as a whole.

“CECA members stand poised to deliver on the UK Government’s plans for a secure, low-carbon energy future, and we look forward to working with them, government at all levels, and all other stakeholders to realise this ambitious vision in the months and years ahead.”

As well as supporting more than 40,000 jobs in clean industries, totalling 480,000 jobs by the end of the decade, the roll-out of the Energy Security Strategy is forecast to bring £100 billion of private sector investment into new British industries.