JOHN Swinney is set to renew the Scottish Government’s opposition to new nuclear power stations being built north of the border.
The Deputy First Minister will double down on his Government’s stance when he delivers his keynote speech to SNP conference today.
The SNP has a long-held view against nuclear power – with the Scottish Government insisting it is against current technology and the emerging nuclear fission.
Energy policy is reserved to Westminster, but the Scottish Government can effectively veto proposals north of the border through devolved planning rules.
Since becoming Prime Minister last month, Liz Truss has repeatedly called for the Scottish Government to change its tune on nuclear power.
But the Scottish Government has insisted it has no intention of doing so, when its delayed updated energy strategy is published later this year.
Mr Swinney is expected to tell the SNP conference: “Scotland is a nation rich in energy resources – we have a plentiful supply of clean, green, affordable renewable energy.
“The equivalent of almost 100 per cent of our electricity demand is from renewable sources. Not only is Scotland self-sufficient in natural gas, we are a huge exporter.
“Scotland is secure in energy. So, we need no lectures from Liz Truss about security of energy supply. It is the UK that has failed to achieve energy security, with the National Grid warning of possible power cuts this winter.
“And Scotland is not going to put up with a new round of nuclear power stations to make up for the failure of energy policy in the United Kingdom.”
He will add: “Despite our huge strength in energy, 150,000 more people in Scotland will be forced into extreme fuel poverty as a result of the UK Government’s increase to the energy price cap in September.
“We are an energy rich nation, but 35% of our citizens live in fuel poverty. Why is that? Because, while Scotland has the energy, Westminster has the power. And how Westminster chooses to use its reserved power has consistently, and deliberately, disadvantaged Scotland.”
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