By the time any new nuclear power station could be built in the UK (2020 or later), the market for its electricity will be disappearing because of explosive growth in photovoltaics (PV), according to the Energy Fair group.
It claims that, by 2020, consumers will be able to buy electricity from anywhere in Europe.

The falling cost of PV would, said Fair Energy, lead to a booming market for solar panels, generating large amounts of power during the day when the demand for electricity is greatest. And there will be stiff competition from wind power and other renewables that work at night.

Energy Fair's Dr Gerry Wolff said: 'The disappearing market for nuclear electricity means that there is absolutely no case for subsidising nuclear power with 'contracts for difference' or any other subsidy.

'If the Government presses on with that policy, we may be saddled with expensive nuclear white elephants that will be paid for by consumers for 25 years or more. This would be worse than the PFI fiasco or the debacle of the West Coast Main Line.'

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Energy Fair is a lobbying group who's members include:

* Dr Dörte Fouquet is senior partner of the law firm Becker Büttner Held (BBH), leading its Brussels office. She is also director of the European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF).

* Dr David Lowry is an independent research policy consultant, specialising in nuclear issues.

* Pete Roche is an energy consultant based in Edinburgh and policy adviser to the Scottish Nuclear Free Local Authorities, and the National Steering Committee of UK NFLA.

* Professor Stephen Thomas is professor at the University of Greenwich Business School, and has been a researcher in the area of energy policy for over 25 years.

* Dr Gerry Wolff is co-ordinator of Energy Fair and of Desertec-UK.