§ 26. Mr. BatisteTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what would be(a) the total cost and (b) the effect on jobs of decommissioning all United Kingdom nuclear power stations by the year 2000.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerNo estimate has been made of the total cost or the effect on jobs of decommissioning all United Kingdom nuclear power stations by the year 2000. Although some existing nuclear power stations will be taken out of service by the year 2000, many will continue to operate well into the next century, as will those now under construction or planned. After the existing nuclear power stations are taken out of service the power station operators propose to delay the final stage of decommissioning for a period of the order of 100 years to take the benefit of the process of radioactive decay in the reactor core.