Trident: plans to buy state-of-the-art reactors will add to £20bn cost

Decision to opt for costliest technology ends delay on upgrade to subs and is likely to fuel coalition tensions Ministers will announce plans to buy the most advanced and expensive nuclear reactors for new Trident submarines this week in a move set to create tensions within the coalition government. The decision has been delayed by months due to the sensitivities within the cabinet and concerns over costs, with Liberal Democrats keen to avoid progress on the issue. The party’s manifesto had stated it was against a like-for-like replacement for the country’s nuclear deterrent. However, a source said a decision had now been made among the coalition partners in favour of the more expensive reactors and an announcement would not be delayed any further. The decision is likely to add several billion pounds to the £20bn cost of replacing the UK’s four Trident submarines, but the new reactors are understood to be safer. The source said: “It has all been agreed and the announcement will be made this week. Nothing pleases the Liberal Democrats on this subject but they have signed up on it, so it will

Posted by on May 14, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.