Scottish Parliament – March 4, 2025 – 2

S6M-16657.2: As an amendment to motion S6M-16657 in the name of Gillian Martin (Scotland’s Renewable Future), leave out from "rejects" to end and insert "recognises the huge potential, and progress made, in Scotland to develop renewable energy generation capacity;

considers that Scotland has a future as a renewables powerhouse and that this will help with the long-term ambitions to decarbonise Scotland’s energy usage;

acknowledges that, to successfully transition to low- and zero-carbon energy sources and deliver energy security, it will require a sustainable generation baseline;

considers that nuclear energy is therefore an essential part of the future energy mix, as a highly efficient, zero-emissions source of energy that generates over 20% of the electricity consumed in Scotland;

notes that Torness nuclear power station directly supports hundreds of jobs, as well as many more in the wider economy in the region, and welcomes the decision to extend its lifespan;

welcomes the support from the UK Government for the next generation of nuclear energy technology and the development of small modular reactors;

regrets that Scotland will miss out on these investment and job opportunities due to the Scottish Government’s opposition to new nuclear energy projects, and calls on it to end its outdated ideological opposition to small modular reactors."

Original motion(S6M-16657): That the Parliament rejects the creation of new nuclear power plants in Scotland and the risk that they bring;

believes that Scotland’s future is as a renewables powerhouse;

further believes that the expansion of renewables should have a positive impact on household energy bills;

notes the challenges and dangers of producing and managing hazardous radioactive nuclear waste products, and the potentially catastrophic consequences of the failure of a nuclear power plant;

recognises that the development and operation of renewable power generation is faster, cheaper and safer than that of nuclear power, and welcomes that renewables would deliver higher employment than nuclear power for the development and production of equivalent levels of generated power.