The detailed criteria and process for assessing where new nuclear power stations could safely and securely be built across England and Wales have been set out by the Government.

The consultation on the Strategic Siting Assessment outlines the process the Government will use for identifying suitable sites for new nuclear power stations. The Government is proposing to invite third parties to nominate sites which it will then assess against a range of criteria.

The consultation also sets out the various criteria that would be applied in making that assessment - including those that would automatically rule out sites. The sites identified through this process will still need to be considered through the planning process. Government is also publishing an environmental study alongside the consultation.

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The latest development forms part of the measures that the Government is putting into place to open up opportunities for nuclear power investment in the UK.

Business Secretary John Hutton said: "Nuclear power is an essential part of our future energy mix. And, alongside a ten fold increase in renewables and investment in clean coal technology, it will help wean us off our dependency on oil and protect us against the politicisation of energy supplies.

"So, we must do everything we can to remove any remaining barriers and open up the UK as the most attractive place in the world to invest in nuclear power.

"The strategic siting assessment is the next step towards a Nuclear National Policy Statement. This will help to speed up planning applications while making clear that safety and engagement with local communities are key."

(CD/JM)