Energy Secretary Amber Rudd will today signal the end of the UK’s reliance on coal-fired power stations as she outlines a new direction for energy policy.
In a major speech, the Tory frontbencher is expected to say it “cannot be satisfactory” for an advanced economy like Britain’s to be dependent on the “dirtiest fuel”.
She will hail gas and nuclear as central to a secure energy future, pointing to a “legacy of under-investment” in the latter.
And she will call for new gas-fired power stations to be built over the next 10 years to replace those running on coal.
“We need to build a new energy infrastructure, fit for the 21st century,” she is due to say, as she insists she is working towards a “consumer-led, competition focused” system that delivers for families and businesses.
But even before she made the remarks, Ms Rudd – already under fire over the UK Government’s plans to close renewable subsidy schemes for wind and solar early – triggered controversy.
Richard Dixon, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, accused her of living in a “fantasy world” where nuclear is affordable and fracking produces useful amounts of gas.
He also dismissed the plan as “little more than a reheated version of Margaret Thatcher’s energy policy”.
“Aiming to close down coal power stations is commendable but planning to replace them with a new fleet of gas-fired power stations will automatically lock us into a high-carbon power system, guaranteeing we won’t meet UK climate targets,” he added.
Scottish Renewables chief executive Niall Stuart said even with significant growth in gas and nuclear power, every forecast from the government’s own advisers showed the UK would have to massively increase the amount of renewable generation to hit its legally binding climate targets.
Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael said Ms Rudd’s “indifference” towards the North Sea oil industry was apparent.
And shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray called on the minister to spell out what the new direction of energy policy would mean for the sector.
WWF Scotland director Lang Banks praised Ms Rudd for highlighting the environmental problems associated with Britain’s aging fleet of unreliable coal-fired power stations.
But he insisted the government needed to give confidence to investors by ending the uncertainty hanging over renewables since the summer.