Energy and Climate Change written question – answered at on 4 March 2009.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
(1) whether he proposes to provide further opportunities for the nomination of potential nuclear new build sites after the current period closes on
(2) what consideration he gave to providing for a period of evaluation of other than two months for the nomination of potential nuclear new build sites; and for what reasons two months was the preferred period.
The strategic siting assessment is a process for identifying and assessing sites which are strategically suitable for the deployment of new nuclear power stations by the end of 2025. The Government believes that it is important to focus on sites which can come on stream in good time to contribute to our goals on climate change and energy security. 2025 provides sufficient focus to facilitate the achievement of these goals whilst avoiding an unnecessarily long list of potential sites which may not come on stream for some years. Should the need arise the Government will issue a second call for nominations for credible sites which might be deployed after 2025.
The Government Response to Consultation on the SSA process and siting criteria, published in January this year set out the next steps, including nomination forms, guidance to nominators and the timetable of assessment. The deadline for nominations is
In the consultation on the SSA process and siting criteria Government set out the proposal that the nomination window would be eight weeks. Having considered the responses to the consultation, the Government believes that an eight week window for nominations gives nominators sufficient time to absorb the changes to the criteria resulting from the consultation, to complete nominations and to perform their engagement activities. The Government did consider leaving time between the publication of the criteria in the Response and subsequently calling for nominations, but felt that this would introduce complexity into the nomination period. The Government's conclusions in relation to the nomination window are set out more fully in the Government Response to the SSA Consultation.
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