Public consultation

The electricity generation industry is extremely complicated and its activities impact on society and the environment in different ways.

As we go through the process of identifying, assessing and developing sites for new nuclear power stations, we are committed to the highest levels of consultation and communication with communities and stakeholders at local, regional and national level.

The Government has set out a process for nominating potential sites for new nuclear power stations known as Strategic Siting Assessment (SSA) and identifying those which should be included in a draft Nuclear National Policy Statement.

On 9 November 2009, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband announced that Wylfa, Oldbury, Braystones and Kirksanton were amongst the 10 sites included in the draft Nuclear National Policy Statement. The Government is progressing its detailed consultation on the draft Statement in advance of its being put before Parliament for approval in 2010. Its public consultation is due to end on 22 February 2010.

Once the Nuclear National Policy Statement has been agreed, individual developers like RWE npower will be required to seek planning and other consents to build a new station and this would involve extensive further consultation.