By Pamela McGowan

Last updated at 13:46, Thursday, 26 February 2009

Two new nuclear power stations could be built on farmland in west Cumbria, as well as those already predicted for the Sellafield site.

A German energy firm has revealed plans to build reactors on coastal sites near Egremont and Millom. These are separate to plans for reactor development on land around Sellafield.

RWE npower, the UK arm of the huge company, says it has reached agreements over the sale of both coastal sites. It has already carried out test drilling and deemed the land to be suitable.

Bosses are now approaching the government, which is drawing up list of potential locations for new nuclear reactors. The deadline for this is the end of March.

The firm says its priority is now to consult the general public before drawing up any firm plans for the schemes. If they were to go ahead, the new power stations could bring major employment, economic and environmental benefits to the area. However, safety issues will also be a massive concern for communities.

Dave Gardner, head of the company’s nuclear projects, said: “Safety is our number one priority. Any potential risks are very low and the benefits a key factor.

“Being away from Sellafield itself will not compromise safety in any way. These state-of-the-art reactor designs are the latest and the best.”

The Cumbrian Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs) would be built as part of the firm’s plans to invest £10 billion in energy supply development over the next decade. These potential sites are separate to the 400 acres of NDA-owned land expected to be put forward to the government. All this land surrounds the existing Sellafield site.

Other multinational firms are also said to be showing “significant interest” in Copeland’s potential for new power stations.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown forecast, during a recent visit to Sellafield, that each new reactor built would create up to 10,000 jobs – 9,000 of them in construction and the rest operational.

RWE npower chief executive Andrew Duff, said: “Cumbria’s established skills base and nuclear heritage makes it a very strong location for new nuclear build.

“Nuclear generation will be a vital part of the country’s future energy mixture and new stations will bring multi-million-pound benefits to local economies, along with thousands of jobs.”

Referring to the Copeland sites, Dave Gardner, the company’s head of nuclear projects, said: “We believe both have strong potential for new nuclear. Together with the NDA’s land at Sellafield they will help realise Cumbria’s Energy Coast vision through the development of new reactors in the region.”

Copeland MP Jamie Reed, who has been campaigning for new nuclear build in the area, said both sites could house at least two reactors.

He said: “It’s now time for these proposals to be presented to the local communities. Local opinions have to be listened to and acted upon.

“At the same time this is a very welcome announcement from a major company. They clearly share our ambitions for the development of Britain’s Energy Coast.”

First published at 11:30, Thursday, 26 February 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk