AN UNPRECEDENTED deal to compensate villagers who accept Sellafield nuclear waste with millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been agreed in a move that could lead up to £1 billion in payments to communities that accept more toxic waste.

Operators of the Sellafield complex have committed to pay as much as £75m to councils in Cumbria for permission to extend existing dumping facilities.

The state-owned Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which owns Sellafield and operates the country’s radioactive waste disposal programme, has agreed the deal with Copeland borough council and Cumbria county council.

It is expected to make half of a £10m down payment this summer, with further fees of £1.5m for each year that the facility is open. If it closed in 2050, local authorities would receive £75m.

Drigg, the closest village affected, is expected to receive a “substantial” share of the money to be used for the benefit of its 300 residents.

NDA spokesman Bill Hamilton said: “It is certainly not a bribe. This is a perfectly normal way of moving forward after lengthy negotiations. The notion of planning gain is well established. The way in which the money will be allocated is still under discussion.”

Ministers will claim this week that a new generation of nuclear power stations is the only effective way to curb greenhouse gas emissions. John Hutton, the energy secretary, will tell MPs Britain cannot hit its targets solely through energy efficiency and renewable technology such as wind and wave power.

Hutton said this weekend: “The idea that Britain can meet its growing power needs through renewable energy and greater efficiency is nonsense.”

His statement to parliament will set out economic and regulatory incentives for power companies to build new reactors.

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