FIFE has been revealed as a potential site for a nuclear power plant in a new UK Government report – but a local MSP says it "wouldn't go down well" with communities.
The document, titled 'Potential future nuclear power plant siting in Scotland ', published on Tuesday, June 30, was penned by both the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Great British Energy – Nuclear.
Ordered by Ed Miliband, the document's scope was to offer "technical advice" on potential future sites.
In a section called "Land Areas of Interest", Fife was identified as one of the areas across eastern Scotland which could be eyed up for new development by the UK Government.
The report read: "The northern shore of the Firth of Forth benefits from a strong industrial heritage, existing brownfield land, good transport connections and historic use of river water for power station cooling.
"The presence of previous energy generation sites and proximity to major industrial hubs supports technical suitability."
SNP MSP for Cowdenbeath, David Barratt said: "The document implies quite heavily, I would say, about nuclear power at Longannet. It's talking about a site on the north side of the Forth, in close proximity to areas of flood risk and oil and gas.
"The SNP's position aligns, from my perspective, closely with what communities think. I don't think if you went to any community and asked them whether they like a nuclear power station next door, I struggle to imagine any in Fife, or along the Forth shore, would say yes please.
"I don't think that would go down well at all with communities (near Longannet) who have put up with enough environmental consequences of that site. Scotland is blessed with an abundance of renewable sources, and we don’t require nuclear."
The new report picks out six areas in total that the government sees as ripe for the development of nuclear sites.
Torness Nuclear Power Plant in East Lothian, which is scheduled to end operations in 2030, Dounreay Nuclear site in Caithness, and Hunterston Nuclear Power Plant and the surrounding coast in North Ayrshire.
Both Dounreay and Hunterston are currently being decommissioned.
As well as the Forth, it selected two other larger areas, such as the south bank of the Forth in Stirling and the Aberdeenshire and Angus coast.
Overall, it came to the conclusion that "Scotland has land areas with high potential for new nuclear development".
But the Scottish Government have pushed back, claiming that the report was put together "secretly" and that the push for nuclear energy "ignored the hard economic and environmental facts".
They went on to cite financial inefficiency, longitude of developments, and a "deadly legacy of radioactive waste".
On next steps, the document added: "Should the policy position of the Scottish Government change, specific local considerations and uncertainties notwithstanding, several significant land areas appear to offer suitable terrain, ready access to a source of cooling water, transport access by road, rail and sea as well as access to a skilled workforce, indicating a new nuclear power plant could be hosted."
But the Scottish Government said: "Scotland does not need dangerous, extortionate nuclear white elephants built in our communities against our will. The Scottish Parliament has already passed an SNP motion demanding that power over our energy resources be fully devolved to Holyrood."
