NICOLA Sturgeon is poised for a clash with the UK Government over fracking and nuclear energy as the Tories revealed their response to the energy price crisis would be fuelled by increased reliance on the two controversial sources of power.
The First Minister on Thursday reiterated the Scottish Government’s opposition to allowing fracking and new nuclear plants in Scotland.
It puts Scotland at loggerheads with the rest of the UK, with Liz Truss announcing her plans to lift the effective ban on fracking in England, as well as ramping up efforts to open new nuclear power plants.
The new Prime Minister announced just minutes before Sturgeon faced her first grilling from MSPs after the summer break, that the UK Government would move to ensure typical households would be charged no more than £2500 for their energy use.
Green levies on energy bills will be removed and businesses have been promised protection from the rise in energy prices while plans to ramp up drilling for oil and gas were also unveiled.
Lifting the ban on fracking would be expected to take effect quickly and would allow companies to drill for shale gas by seeking planning permission.
Truss has previously said that fracking should only take place where there is support from local communities.
Asked about the Prime Minister’s plans, Sturgeon said: “We do not intend to grant licences for fracking, we do not think that is the solution to the crisis that is currently faced.
“In fact, let me quote someone else: ‘No amount of shale gas would be enough to lower the European price.’
“That is of course, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer speaking earlier this year.
“Similarly, our position is unchanged on nuclear – we do not support new nuclear, certainly not with existing technology.
Scottish Energy Secretary Michael Matheson has said the change in policy would not be applicable in Scotland.
Writing on Twitter, he said: "This policy change does not apply in Scotland.
"Fracking can only happen here if licences are issued by the Scottish Government and we don't intend to issue any licences."
The move is likely to be met with anger from environmental campaigners.
Fracking remains controversial because it can lead to contamination of groundwater, trigger small earth tremors and have a negative impact on climate change.
However, writing in The Mail on Sunday, before his appointment as Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng said that fracking would not have the desired effect Truss is hoping for.
He said: “Even if we lifted the fracking moratorium tomorrow, it would take up to a decade to extract sufficient volumes – and it would come at a high cost for communities and our precious countryside.
“No amount of shale gas from hundreds of wells dotted across rural England would be enough to lower the European price any time soon.
“And with the best will in the world, private companies are not going to sell the shale gas they produce to UK consumers below the market price.
“They are not charities, after all.”
The new PM has also been criticised by the SNP for her plans to impose a “Truss Tax” which would see households bear the brunt of the multi-billion-pound cost of an energy freeze and has been criticised for her opposition to a windfall tax.
