UK Industry must benefit from new build nuclear power stations

27 November 2007

Unite, the UK’s largest trade union and global engineering construction company, Westinghouse, have joined forces to champion British industry.

Speaking at a joint event today with Westinghouse and Prospect trade union, Dougie Rooney, Unite National Officer for Energy and Utilities, will say that 10,000 jobs can be created over a period of 10 years, if the UK government ensures that manufacturing and construction industries here get a share of any new nuclear reactor development and build in the UK.

Also, on the day that British Energy has announced its preferred sites for new build nuclear plants, Unite National Officer, Dougie Rooney, said: "Unite welcomes the decision by British Energy and the positive action it has taken to secure grid connections of the preferred sites for new nuclear power stations.

"Our priority, and that of the government should be to ensure that UK manufacturing industry benefits for the new build programme and for us not to be dependent on other countries for either energy or for key energy manufacturing components."

David Powell, Regional Vice-President for Westinghouse in the UK Westinghouse, the company that developed the AP1000 reactor design, said: "Our proven approach is ‘we buy where we build’ so nuclear power in the UK, based on the AP1000, will offer a major boost to UK industry." He added that "Westinghouse, a leading global nuclear player, is already established in the UK nuclear industry, where the company runs the nuclear fuel manufacturing plant at Springfields in Lancashire."

Dougie Rooney will say that Unite is supportive of the Westinghouse AP1000 as a design which – through its modular construction approach - offers a great opportunity for UK manufacturing and construction jobs.