THE subject of small modular reactors and nuclear power in Cumbria will be raised at a council meeting next week.

Councillor Jill Perry (Bothel and Wharrels, Green Party) will ask her question to leader of Cumberland Council Councillor Mark Fryer (St Johns and Great Clifton, Labour).

The full council is set to meet at the Civic Centre in Carlisle on Tuesday (July 25) from 1pm.

It follows news of the launch this week of Great British Nuclear (GBN) with the promise of a total of £157 million in new grant funding.

The government has invited the developers of small nuclear reactors to take part in a competition to win new funding for their initiatives.

Councillor Jill Perry will refer to a council press release from earlier this month which urged the government and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to initiate the UK’s first small modular reactor (SMR) with immediate effect.

Her question states: “Given the long lead-in time to any SMR development such that generation can’t possibly start until into the 2030s.

“Can the leader please ask the Solway Community Power Company for more detail of the proposal, including an outline what investigations, surveys and other preparatory work are needed at this very early stage, and share the response with council?

“Would it not be more appropriate for the council to push that the land is used for renewable energy technologies, such as solar, in the meantime, which could generate real-time useable electricity for residents now and could stay in place if SMRs don’t happen?”