Scottish ministers are being urged to end their ban on new nuclear power and adopt a “common sense energy policy” – which would allow workers north of the border to benefit from the “golden age of nuclear”.
The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) made the plea as new figures showed the nuclear power sector in England has created 47,492 jobs since 2014 – an increase of 100% taking the total workforce south of the border to 94,836.
At the same time, just 661 jobs in the sector have been created in Scotland, where SNP ministers have enforced a ban on the construction of new nuclear power stations.
There are now 5,583 people working in the industry in Scotland – with this total having risen by 13.4% since 2014.
We are determined to work with the Scottish Government to make sure Scotland benefits from the UK’s golden age of nuclear
While the nuclear industry now employs more than 100,000 in the UK, the NIA said Scotland could have seen the same jobs growth as England if the Scottish Government’s ban on new stations had not been in place.
Scotland has had 170 new nuclear jobs in the past year, the NIA said, while England has seen an increase of 4,199.
The new Hinkley Point C power station under construction in Somerset – which now employs 26,000 people – has been responsible for part of this.
But of the 12,000 people employed on site there, 10% are said to be from Scotland, with the NIA adding these workers were unable to get jobs in the industry closer to home.
In the wake of the new jobs figures, UK minister for local energy and jobs Martin McCluskey said he was “determined to work with the Scottish Government to make sure Scotland benefits from the UK’s golden age of nuclear”.
The Labour minister said: “New nuclear is creating thousands of skilled jobs and attracting billions of pounds of investment across Britain. Scotland has always been part of our nuclear story and it should continue to be.
“Scots have proudly worked in our nuclear industry for decades at Torness, Dounreay and Hunterston, and we should continue to have that opportunity,”
NIA chief executive Tom Greatrex said: “Scotland deserves the same jobs and investment that new nuclear projects are bringing to England and Wales, and Scottish young people deserve the same opportunities.”
He added: “We know that Scottish sites have high potential for new nuclear development. It’s time to have a common sense energy policy and end the ban on new nuclear.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “New renewable energy projects are faster to deliver and we have seen elsewhere in the UK how the costs of major nuclear projects can spiral.
“Scottish ministers remain focused on developing Scotland’s renewable energy potential, which is already securing jobs, investment and economic growth across the country.
“Recent research by CBI found that in 2025, net zero-related industries supported more than 105,000 jobs in Scotland and contributed £10.2 billion to the economy.”