Brexit poses 'potentially disastrous' threat to Britain's energy supply, MPs warn

The government has failed to consider the “potentially disastrous ramifications” of Brexit on energy, MPs have warned.

The influential cross-party Commons business, energy and industrial strategy committee urged the UK to delay leaving Europe’s nuclear regulator, the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).

It said that exit under uncertain terms could “severely inhibit nuclear trade and research and threaten power supplies”.

It added that ministers should act “as urgently as possible” to clarify how the nuclear industry will be regulated after Brexit.

Iain Wright MP, chair of the committee, said the impact of Brexit on Euratom has not been thought through.

“The Government has failed to consider the potentially disastrous ramifications of its Brexit objectives for the nuclear industry,” he said.

“Ministers must act as urgently as possible. The repercussions of failing to do so are huge. The continued operations of the UK nuclear industry are at risk.

“The Prime Minister has made it politically unfeasible to remain in Euratom long term.

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“The government now has a responsibility to end the uncertainty hanging over the industry and ensure robust and stable arrangements to protect trade, boost research and development, and ensure safeguarding of the highest level.”

Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB union, said the committee’s warning “emphasises our government’s lack of anything that could be called a coherent energy policy.”

“In a world outside of the European Union, energy self-sufficiency is common sense and nuclear, alongside gas, will be fundamental in that reliable mix,” he said.

“Decisive action must take place now. The electorate will not forgive politicians of any political party who fail in their duty to maintain the electricity supply.”

The report also recommends maintaining access to the Internal Energy Market and retaining membership of the Emissions Trading System until 2020 at least.

It noted that its MPs are concerned that the UK will become a “rule taker”, complying with but unable to influence European rules and standards.

The report also warns that Brexit must not distract the government from delivering climate change policies.

The report echoed findings of the House of Lords science and technology committee report, Nuclear research and technology: Breaking the cycle of indecision.

Earl of Selborne, chairman of the Committee said that the government needs to make significant investments in new technologies or risk falling behind the rest of the world.

The report calls on the government to decide whether it wishes the UK to be a “serious player” in developing nuclear generation technology, whether as a designer, manufacturer and operator, or to restrict its interest to being an operator of equipment supplied by others from overseas.

Former business secretary Sir Vince Cable said it was “madness” to pull out of Euratom, adding it would be “a monumental waste of time and money”.

However, current business secretary Greg Clark said “the future of the nuclear industry in this country can only be protected by a prime minister who will actually stand up for Britain and nuclear power in Brexit negotiations.”

“That’s the stark choice in this election – strong leadership with Theresa May, who has already commissioned the first new nuclear power station in a generation, or entrusting Britain’s nuclear future to floundering Jeremy Corbyn, a man who has spent his political career pushing for nuclear power stations to be decommissioned entirely.”