7. To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken any evaluation of the relative economic benefits of small modular nuclear reactors compared with other forms of energy provision. (S6O-02558)

The Scottish Government does not support the building of new nuclear fission power stations in Scotland under current technologies. Although SMRs are innovative in their size and construction technique, they use the same method of electricity generation as traditional nuclear fission. That means that they carry the same environmental concerns as traditional nuclear power plants, while their economic competitiveness is still to be proven in practice. New nuclear power could take decades to become operational. It would be expensive and so would push up household bills.

As we have set out in our draft energy strategy and just transition plan, significant growth in renewables, storage, hydrogen and carbon capture provide the best pathway to net zero and will offer a climate-friendly energy system that delivers affordable, resilient and clean energy for Scotland.

France delivers 70 per cent of its electricity from nuclear energy, which gives it a great base load, and it is now the world’s largest net exporter of electricity. Has the Scottish Government made any estimate of the opportunity cost of Scotland’s not pursuing a similar strategy?

The fact is that existing nuclear power systems are expensive. For example, under the current contract awarded by the United Kingdom Government for the Hinkley Point C station, the electricity that will be generated will be priced at £92.50 per megawatt hour. That is in comparison with electricity generated from offshore wind, which we have in abundance in Scotland and on which we are planning to do an awful lot more. Such electricity is currently priced at £37.35 per megawatt hour.

The member mentioned France. [

Interruption

.] However, let us look at a list of all the European countries—

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Minister, please resume your seat

—that have decided to ditch nuclear power.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Minister, please resume your seat for a second. I do not need to hear a running commentary from members in a sedentary position while the minister seeks to respond to the question.

Minister, please resume your answer.

I can list those countries. In April, Germany shut down the last of its three nuclear power plants, joining other member states that have no nuclear power stations and that remain opposed to nuclear power. They are Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal.