You report that the defence firm Rolls-Royce has been lobbying for government funds to assist it to diversify into building nuclear reactors (Millions on offer to develop small nuclear plants, 4 December). It is arguing that the switch to electric transport will “drive up future demand”.

The National Grid concludes that, provided that vehicle recharging is concentrated into non-peak demand hours, even large-scale electrification of surface transport requires an increase in electricity system capacity by around 15%.

In contrast, annual consumption levels of electricity in the UK are almost 30% lower than was being officially forecast by government forecast just a decade ago.

Promising to meet a fictitious increase in demand for electricity is not a compelling justification for public subsidy.

Andrew Warren

Chairman, British Energy Efficiency Federation

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