A PARLIAMENTARY candidate is calling on the Energy Secretary to put Moorside back on the table as the location for the next UK Gigawatt-scale nuclear power station.

Andrew Johnson, Whitehaven and Workington Conservative candidate, has written to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho MP, calling for Moorside to be considered.

The move follows the publication earlier this month of the Government’s Civil Nuclear: Roadmap to 2050.

A strategy that outlines how the government will deliver upon its objective of achieving 24GW of energy generated from nuclear by 2050.

The roadmap seeks to update the National Policy Statement from 2011 relating to new nuclear, NPS EN-6, and includes a commitment to delivering a new additional GW-scale nuclear power station comparable to Hinckley C and Sizewell C to achieve the 24GW target.

The commitment to new nuclear comes as part of a wider government drive to deliver a nuclear renaissance in the United Kingdom.

Mr Johnson says the combination of new nuclear, hydrogen and synthetic fuel production, and the new coking coal mine in Whitehaven ‘offers a once in a generation opportunity’ to transform the West Cumbrian economy, secure long-term investment, and bring much-needed employment to the area.

He said: "It's time to get moving on Moorside. The publication of this roadmap means that it’s time to put it firmly back on the table as the prime location for the UK’s next Gigawatt-scale nuclear station.

“We have a long and proud history of being at the forefront of the UK’s nuclear industry and have led the world in nuclear expertise for a reason. That reason being that we host the largest concentration of nuclear facilities in the UK and, as such, is exactly why Moorside is the logical choice for the location of the UK’s next GW-scale nuclear power station.

“That’s why I’ve written to the Sectary of State calling for full consideration to be given to Moorside, given the positive economic impact a renewed focus on civil nuclear power, when combined with continued operations at Sellafield, will have on the area.”

Earlier this month, Josh MacAlister, Whitehaven and Workington Labour candidate said he was ‘really disappointed’ there had been no firm action or new announcement to bring new nuclear to the area.

He said the roadmap was ‘just warm words’, ‘further consultations’ and ‘reheated announcements’.