PLANS for a clean energy in Copeland link-in with the Government’s net zero ambitions, the council’s nuclear portfolio holder has said, despite claims from activists that the UK is not doing enough to combat climate change.

Copeland Borough Council’s portfolio holder for Nuclear and Corporate Services David Moore said that plans for Small Modular Reactors at Moorside is “on message” with the Government’s ambitions for clean energy.

The Government recently published its UK Hydrogen Strategy calling the element “one of a handful of new, low carbon solutions that will be critical for the UK’s transition to net zero.”

Councillor Moore said it is positive news for plans to build a Clean Energy Hub at Moorside, neighbouring Sellafield.

Giants like EDF Energy and Rolls Royce are involved in a consortium of companies interested in placing Small Modular Reactors at the Moorside site in Copeland.

Councillor Moore said nuclear power is capable of generating the immense heat needed to produce Hydrogen which is widely believed to be a “key to the future.”

“Within our prospectus we’ve clearly identified that we can produce hydrogen through nuclear power that’s part of our prospectus.

“We’re clearly on message with that. We were actually ahead of the game with that we can produce electricity and we can also produce hydrogen.”

He said that the next step for the Clean Energy Hub plans are identifying how they can benefit the community.

“We now need to get that network in place. We know we can produce it, where are the customers and how does it get to the user?

World renowned environmental activist Greta Thunberg recently said that the claim the UK is a climate leader are “a lie”. She has previously hit out at the plans to build a coal mine off the coast of Whitehaven.

But councillor Moore said that green energy created by nuclear power is set to enter the forefront: “It is key now with the COP26 conference coming along.” I think we’re going to be seeing new announcements coming out from Government.”