WEST Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has called for an urgent parliamentary debate into the EU investigation surrounding Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.
It comes just a week after former Liberal Democrat MP David Howarth, a legal academic, said the deal with EDF Energy over the new power station might not be valid under EU law.
But David Cameron has said he is ‘confident’ Hinkley C will go ahead.
The Prime Minister told the BBC: “Countries in Europe should be able to invest in nuclear energy as part of a balanced plan to provide core energy and to keep carbon emissions down.
“That’s what we’re doing. “I’m sure the commissioner will see that is the point and I’m confident this will go ahead.”
Ministers and EDF agreed on a ‘strike price’ of £92.50 for every megawatt hour, which is almost twice the current wholesale cost of electricity.
This has been called into question by the EU, which is now investigating.
Last Thursday in the House of Commons, Mr Liddell-Grainger said: “Hinkley Point is massively important to this country; it will produce a massive amount of electricity, and it is needed for the security of energy supplies.
“Could we please have time to debate this?
“It has to be pushed forward with fracking because if we don’t, we are going to have the lights going out in the future.”
Mr Liddell-Grainger told the County Gazette: “Mr Howarth’s report seems to have no reason behind it.
“I mentioned it last week to the Commons because it is incredibly important.
“This is one thing nearly all the parties agree with.
“We don’t want to get this wrong and I will be asking for a debate on the matter.
“I’m going to see what we can do to get this matter sorted.”
Click to read this story online at thisisthewestcountry.co.uk