Jim Murphy, the UK's Minister for Scotland spoke in favor of nuclear power
– By April Murelio –
Speakers at the PIME 2009 conference were sanguine about the role that nuclear power should play for the UK. The event is for communications professionals in the nuclear industry, organised the European Nuclear Society (ENS) and held in Edinburgh.
PIME, the conference on Public Information Materials Exchange, is the annual focal point for professional nuclear communicators all around the world. It is the only conference of its kind designed especially for communicators in the nuclear industry and research communities – a unique international meeting that has grown in value and stature year-on-year.
The PIME program revolves around a series of plenary sessions and interactive workshops. In 2009 key topics on the PIME debating table will, among other things, include public acceptance, communications on nuclear waste and transport as well as crisis communications.
Murphy spent an hour with the conference, conducting two television interviews on the subject. Last week UK energy minister Mike O'Brien attended two pro-nuclear event on the same day, speaking at the Powering Scotland conference, sponsored by labour unions, and British Energy's Torness nuclear power plant. This coincided with published statements from other Scottish politicians calling on the SNP to change course on nuclear power.
"Britain is on course for a new generation of nuclear generating plants" Murphy declared, adding that he had "no doubt" of their importance as a "key component of a low-carbon generation mix." An 80% cut in carbon dioxide emissions is mandated in UK law, and this will require almost complete decarbonisation of the electricity sector, Murphy said.
He said that the government's decision to support new nuclear build, made official in the white paper of January 2008, was because it had been "convinced by the comprehensive evidence" that supports the use of nuclear power. He said the government now presents the same evidence when it is asked 'why nuclear'.
Santiago San Antonio, director general of Foratom and secretary general of ENS, called the words the most pro-nuclear he had ever heard from a politician.