But on behalf of 19,000 engineers, scientists and managers in electricity supply, R&D and the wider energy industry, Prospect warned that linking any future new nuclear build with additional bureaucratic hurdles will severely restrict the government’s ability to meet its targets on carbon emissions and risks the security of the UK’s electricity supply.

The warning followed today’s publication of the annual report on the implementation of the Energy White Paper, which shows the government’s own analysis predicts that its goal to reduce the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions by 10% by 2020 will not be met.

Paul Noon, Prospect General Secretary, said: "We agree that further debate over the nuclear option is needed but that it should take place now, not at some unspecified point in the future.

"The government is too relaxed in its assessment of the consequences of growing dependence on imported oil and gas. As the nuclear contribution is declining sharply, we will become increasing dependent on oil and gas supplies from producers such as Russia, Iran and Algeria – hardly the most reliable of trade partners.

"While we support measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, it is clear that diversity and flexibility of supply are key to ensuring the security of supply. On most projections of present policies, the UK will be unable to close the ‘carbon gap’ created by the loss of nuclear generation, even before the impact of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme becomes clear."