National Energy System Operator: Blackout Risk

Andrew Bowie Excerpts

Wednesday 15th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Michael Shanks]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on getting a question about nuclear into this, and she is absolutely right.

[Andrew Bowie (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (Con)]

Hear, hear.

[Michael Shanks]

I agree with my hon. Friend 100%—as, I hear, does the shadow Minister.

This is one of those rare areas where I think we do have complete consensus—well, maybe not complete consensus, but widespread consensus—across the House. Nuclear is going to play a really critical part in our future energy needs. It provides the stable baseload power that runs on the system 24/7 for decades. Nuclear power that we build today could well still be operating by the end of this century. It is an extraordinary technology that we should be supporting and investing in as much as possible. That is why we are taking forward Sizewell C and Hinkley, but also why we have unlocked the small modular reactor programme and are delivering it at scale, and why we will take forward the reforms in the Fingleton review to make sure we can build things even faster in Britain.