Starmer vows to power past NIMBYs to build nuke stations

The UK Labour Party’s large majority provides an opportunity for infrastructure change, “taking the country forward”, according Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer expects his MPs to back small nuclear reactors in their constituencies. Picture: House of Commons/AFP

Sir Keir Starmer has said that he will “push past the NIMBYism” to ensure that a new generation of mini nuclear power stations are built.

Mr Starmer announced that he is changing planning rules to allow small modular reactors (SMRs) to be built for the first time in Britain.

At present, rules state that only the government may designate sites for potential nuclear power stations, severely limiting where they can be built. There are only eight designated locations in the UK.

The government will drop that requirement and hopes that the first small reactor will be built in Britain by 2032. Starmer wants them to power the energy-hungry data centres needed for artificial intelligence.

The prime minister of the UK said: “If we get this right, I think people will genuinely look back in years to come and say that made a massive difference to the economy to growth and just the way in which we’ve been able to move forward. We do have to push past the NIMBYism.

“It does open up areas that weren’t capable of being considered nuclear sites before. And that means that it will be in some areas where people hadn’t even thought there’s going to be anything nuclear near me. And yes, we’re going to have to push it through.”

Starmer said he also expects Labour MPs to back small nuclear reactors in their constituencies along with new housing and other infrastructure.

“Everybody puts their hand up for infrastructure for change, taking the country forward, and then puts their hand up again when they’re asked to object to it being in your area,” he said. “We’ve just got to break through that.”

He said that Labour’s large majority presented an opportunity, adding: “We haven’t had a big working majority in parliament for a long time now, which has meant that all those trade-offs were more muscular than they are at the moment.”

Britain’s five nuclear power stations, which generate about 6GW in total, powering 13 million homes, are all nearing the end of their lives. Two new nuclear power plants have been approved: Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which is being built, and ­Sizewell C in Suffolk, which is still at the development stage.

However, advocates of nuclear power argue that more stations will be needed to meet the government’s net-zero target and they see SMRs as a low-cost alternative to conventional plants. They are potentially much cheaper and faster to build and can be deployed in areas unsuitable for traditional nuclear power stations.

To date, no commercially operational small modular reactors have been built. The government is running a competition to develop the technology.

Mr Starmer said: “The UK is being left behind in the global race on nuclear energy. Other countries are sprinting ahead, yet it was the UK that was one of the first to start the firing gun. Meanwhile, other countries are stealing a march. China has 57 operational nuclear reactors which are generating enough cleaner, affordable energy to power up 38 million homes at once, while saving 150 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year, powering their supercomputers – the engines that drive progress in AI.

“We have to drive the UK forward. This isn’t just about having the best nuclear technology – it’s about powering our future industries and delivering cleaner, affordable energy for people around the country.”

He signalled that China will be barred from investing in or building Britain’s small nuclear reactors. “We’re intending to go ahead with trusted partners because I think that’s the place we need to be in,” he said.

The Times