SNP ministers have been called on to "rethink" their opposition to new nuclear power plants being built in Scotland in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.
UK energy minister Greg Hands said today that Russian aggression in eastern Europe should act as a "pretext" for the Scottish Government to reconsider its position on energy.
The SNP and Scottish Green party have long been opposed to more nuclear plants and insist that investment should instead be focused on developing renewable technologies.
But the military invasion of Ukraine has prompted alarm across Europe and a desire to halt imports of Russian oil and gas.
Hands told the BBC: "There are already very good reasons to think again because nuclear is going to be a big part of our energy future.
"But I think the Russian invasion of Ukraine should hopefully have given them a pretext to have a rethink.
"I would welcome the Scottish Government now having a rethink on nuclear.
"There has never been a better time to bring more nuclear to Scotland."
Asked if safety concerns and the cost of nuclear energy were reasonable concerns, Hands added: "No, I don't think they are.
"We have a really strong safety regime in this country - the Office for Nuclear Regulation, the ONR, is one of the best nuclear regulators in the world.
"When it comes to cost, we're passing legislation which will reduce the cost using a regulated asset based model.
"I would like to see the SNP support that legislation."
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: "New nuclear power will take years, if not decades, to become operational and will also be expensive - pushing up household bills.
"The Scottish Government is absolutely clear in our opposition to the building of new traditional nuclear fission energy plants in Scotland under current technologies.
"We believe a significant growth in renewables, storage, hydrogen and carbon capture provides the best pathway to Net Zero by 2045."
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has argued that nuclear power should be "part of the mix" in meeting the country's requirements.
He is challenging his party to think big on ways to tackle climate change and press the Scottish Government to match its rhetoric on the environment with action.
Labour MSP Colin Smyth said: "The energy crisis is one of the greatest threats we face - so for the Scottish Government to take a dogmatic approach to nuclear power makes no sense at all.
"Nuclear energy already plays crucial role in Scotland's energy mix- helping keep the lights on and providing high quality jobs.
"If we are serious about having a jobs led transition to net zero the SNP Government should keep a more open mind and not rule our new nuclear.
"Scottish Labour has established an Energy Transition Commission to ensure we have an evidenced based approach to energy policy based on cutting emissions and household bills not cutting jobs".
The GMB trade union is also a vocal supporter of nuclear energy in Scotland despite SNP opposition.
Torness nuclear power station in East Lothian - owned by French energy giant EDF - had been due to close in 2023 but will remain in operation until at least 2030.
The Hunterston B plant on the Ayrshire coast closed in January this year after 46 years of power generation.
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