THE SNP have demanded Scots are not forced to pay for "toxic" overspending on the Sizewell-C budget.
Prior to the summer recess, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband quietly revealed that energy bills in Scotland will rise as a result of a significant budget increase on the project – doubling in cost to £38 billion with further revelations a loan facility of up to £36.6bn will be provided, pushing the upper limit to £47.7bn.
Sizewell-C now becomes more costly than Hinkley Point C, the most expensive nuclear power plant in the world.
Independent analysis from the House of Commons Library confirmed that Scots will pay at least £300 million extra on energy bills now to cover the overspend, with Miliband admitting there will be a decade-long “nuclear tax” on bills north of the border.
SNP Energy spokesperson, Graham Leadbitter MP, said: "This toxic overspend now totals £48bn and Anas Sarwar has serious questions to answer as to whether he thinks it’s acceptable for Scots to foot the bill through higher energy bills.
“It is an absolute disgrace that energy rich Scotland will see Scots face higher energy bills because of a nuclear plant running over budget in Labour-run England.”
With 2.5m households in Scotland, Miliband forecasted that bill payers will pay an extra £12 per year to cover the power plant, though experts have warned that figure is likely a minimum with costs expected to rise further.
The news comes despite the Labour Government promising voters they would cut bills by £300, yet average energy bills remain 10% higher – almost £150 – than this time last year. Miliband’s statement followed the Government previously refusing to recognise the £38bn figure, with a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson reporting in January they did not recognise the "speculative" number.
The UK Government’s continued splurge on expensive nuclear energy comes after Rachel Reeves cut £2.5bn from GB Energy to fund English nuclear reactors at the Spending Review.
"The Labour Party promised they'd cut energy bills by £300 yet they've soared on their watch – now we have the absurd situation where they've chosen to pile money into extortionate nuclear energy and are asking Scots to pick up the tab”, Leadbitter continued.
"Independent analysis shows this will cost Scottish households £300m in higher bills through a decade-long 'nuclear tax' all the while Scottish Labour refuse to acknowledge the white elephant in the room that they support these disastrous plans.
"Scotland produces far more electricity that we can hope to use and our future is in renewables, closer ties with Europe and harnessing the existing offshore industry to deliver energy security – it certainly is not in over-budget, wasteful English nuclear energy projects.
"We were told Grangemouth refinery in Scotland couldn’t be saved, yet we see a refinery in England protected, a steel works in Scunthorpe bailed out and now a nuclear power plant running twice over budget.
“It's no wonder Scots are increasingly asking how long we stay tied to this so called 'Union of Equals'?"
Scottish Labour have been contacted for comment.
