On behalf of 28,000 professional scientists and engineers working in electricity supply, nuclear power, R&D and related environmental and safety bodies, General Secretary Paul Noon said:

"This will inject a long overdue dose of realism into the energy debate. Prospect warned at the time of the 2003 Energy White Paper that the UK’s CO2 targets could not realistically be achieved through renewables alone.

"But the new review must not simply be a gladiatorial contest between renewables and nuclear. All energy sources have a role to play and the UK is rich in renewables. Equally, nuclear power already plays a major role today and must do so in future if our CO2 targets are to be met.

"A new generation of nuclear power stations will serve to keep down the UK’s carbon emissions and guard against interruption to oil and gas supplies from less secure countries over which we can have no control.

"The Prime Minister has chosen to announce the review at the CBI conference. He will need to ensure that staff and trade unions are brought on board if a new energy strategy is to stand any chance of success."

Prospect will shortly be submitting evidence to the Stern review on the economics of climate change. Noon stressed that unions would need to engage in meaningful dialogue with ministers who would ultimately be taking the decisions, as well as with the two review teams.