Nuclear Industry Investment

Part of Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:00 pm on 21 November 2024.

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Photo of Gillian Martin Gillian Martin Scottish National Party 2:00, 21 November 2024

I absolutely agree with that point, which Gordon MacDonald makes very well. It takes 17 years to put a new nuclear plant in place, and he has mentioned the cost that is associated with such developments. We cannot afford to waste time and money on that approach. While renewables have become cheaper in recent decades, new nuclear plants have only become costlier. In Scotland, we are lucky enough to have abundant natural resources and a highly skilled workforce that enables us to take advantage of those opportunities. Significant growth in renewables, hydrogen and carbon storage and capture provide the best pathway to net zero by 2045.