Old coal power stations could provide a sustainable and cost-effective path to new nuclear power in Britain.

Giving evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee and responding to a question about the infrastructure challenges that come from building new nuclear power, Dr Tim Stone, Chairman of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: “What we need to do is to use existing facilities as best as we can.

“When we come to do a site assessment for small reactors, it is important that we do what Bill Gates’ company is doing with one of the big US utilities in Wyoming and repower coal sites where the existing facilities are already there, rather adding yet more challenge to national grids’ huge battle to and connect to the rest of the rest of the system.”

Dr Stone added that this approach needs a “proper systems plan” and urged the new government scientific adviser, who succeeds Sir Patrick Vallance, to “commission and oversee a proper, independent, fact-based systems plan for energy because we have to replace all of it”.