The SNP has accused Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar of putting Scotland’s energy future at risk by supporting nuclear power projects imposed from Westminster.
The intervention comes as Sizewell C in England is on track to become the most expensive nuclear power station in the world, overtaking Hinkley Point C, with projected costs now reaching as high as £48bn.
The SNP says Scottish households are already feeling the impact after higher energy bills in November, following what it describes as Labour’s decision to drop a so called nuclear tax on Scotland and make Scots contribute towards nuclear projects based in England.
According to independent analysis from the House of Commons Library, the cost of Sizewell C could leave Scotland’s 2.5m households paying around £300m over the next decade, with energy experts warning that figure could rise further as costs continue to spiral.
The party also pointed to reports last month that UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband instructed GB Energy staff to prioritise work on Scottish nuclear energy, raising fresh concerns about the direction of Labour’s energy policy.
SNP figures say Anas Sarwar has repeatedly voiced support for nuclear power but has failed to address the growing costs of English based projects or explain why Scottish bill payers should shoulder the burden.
In a letter sent to Sarwar, SNP MP Graham Leadbitter set out what he described as the dangers of Scotland being tied to what he called toxic and wasteful nuclear schemes.
He warned that the UK is now the most expensive place in the world to develop nuclear power and said the overspends would land Scottish households with a £300m bill through a decade long nuclear levy.
Leadbitter also questioned the role of GB Energy, saying it was originally understood to exist to support renewables jobs in Scotland, not to expose the country to the financial risks of nuclear developments elsewhere.
The SNP argues that nuclear projects such as Sizewell C are irrelevant to Scotland, pointing out that the country already produces more electricity than it consumes and has significant potential in renewables.
Leadbitter said Scotland’s future lies in renewables, closer energy ties with Europe and building on its offshore expertise, rather than funding over budget nuclear plants south of the border.
He also set out an alternative vision, saying Scotland could develop a world class renewables sector supported by pumped hydro storage, tidal energy and power stations fitted with carbon capture technology.
The SNP claims that Labour’s approach undermines that opportunity and exposes Scotland to unnecessary financial risk at a time when household energy costs remain under pressure.
In his letter, Leadbitter urged Sarwar to stand up for Scottish industry and bill payers and to abandon what he described as a nuclear obsession that is hammering households and threatening Scotland’s energy sector.
The Scottish Labour Party has not yet responded publicly to the letter.
