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The Scottish Government position on nuclear power is clear – we do not support the construction of new nuclear power stations in Scotland. As set out in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, significant growth in renewables, storage, hydrogen and carbon capture provide the best pathway to net zero by 2045 and will deliver a climate friendly energy system that delivers affordable, resilient and clean energy supplies for Scotland's households, business and communities.

Member states of the EU have a wide range of views on the use of nuclear energy, and we are aware that policy is evolving across member states. In April, Germany shut down the last of its three nuclear power plants, joining other member states which have no nuclear power stations and remain opposed to nuclear power, including Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal. Several other member states, including Spain, have plans to phase out nuclear power. In contrast, Finland has recently constructed the first new nuclear reactor in Europe in 16 years.

Across the four quarters of 2022 the average capacity factors of onshore and offshore wind were as follows:

1. Onshore wind: 28.2%

2. Offshore wind: 36.0%

For reference this information is published on the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero website, in Energy trends 6.1: Renewables - .

The Contracts for Difference scheme is a UK Government mechanism.

Information about all Contracts for Difference strike prices is available in the public domain here: .

According to The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), the average lifetime capacity factor for Torness Nuclear Power Station was around 75% for Unit 1, and 74% for Unit 2 in 2022.

The whole systems energy modelling underpinning the draft Energy Strategy was conducted by the Energy Systems Catapult and the full details of the project are published here:

A context document was also published here:

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Modelling undertaken as part of the evidence base underpinning our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, estimated electricity generation capacity and demand in Scotland in 2030 according to a range of scenarios.

Across all three scenarios electricity generation capacity ranged between 20-41 GW (47-119 TWh) and electricity demand ranged from 48-55 TWh.

For refence, this analysis can be found at the following web address:

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study considers the potential contribution nuclear can make as a dispatchable low-carbon technology.

The report states: “The fundamental problem is cost. Other generation technologies have become cheaper in recent decades, while new nuclear plants have only become costlier.”

As set out in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, rather than new nuclear, it is significant growth in renewables, such as wind power, as well as investment in storage, hydrogen and carbon capture which will provide the best pathway for Scotland to achieve net zero by 2045.

The Contracts for Difference scheme is a UK Government mechanism.

Information about all Contracts for Difference strike prices is available in the public domain here: .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18873 on 20 June 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government has not made any assessment of the technologies in question in relation to renewable energy trading. As the regulation of energy markets remains reserved, this would be a matter for the UK Government to consider.