A European protocol means the UK government must also extend the range of claims to such events as the effect on property prices of a nuclear accident.
Lawyers have warned that insurers are not prepared to underwrite the risk, and EU laws that stop governments giving financial aid to industries restrict the role the state can play.
David Gollancz, partner at law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse, is part of the NIA’s legal group. He said: “The current thinking is maybe the government can set up a quasi-insurance scheme to see new build get started.”
The insurance problems have coincided with the collapse of the sale of British Energy to French electricity firm EDF this week. The sale was seen as crucial to the governmentÂ’s plans as British Energy controls the likely sites of the new reactors.
Bill Harris, head of nuclear work at Turner & Townsend, called on the government to restore confidence after the collapse of the deal.
He said: “It needs to reassure the industry that it is still committed to the nuclear renaissance programme.”