Business Secretary and Barrow MP John Hutton dismissed claims terrorists could target new power plants to cause mayhem and destruction.
Mr Hutton’s comments came in a Conservative-led debate on energy security. He told MPs that while the issue of nuclear safety must be addressed, nuclear power in the UK is a safe and secure form of technology.
Mr Hutton added: “There is very substantial security designed specifically to deal with terrorism, as I am sure you will know if you have ever visited a UK nuclear power plant.
“So I do not think that terrorism is the issue here. Security certainly is, but our nuclear industry is a secure industry.
“Nuclear is not a last resort, as some have said, but a vital resource for our country and I hope that there is emerging common ground between us on that,” added Mr Hutton.
“As we all know, global competition for energy resources is intensifying. Resource nationalism, closed-off markets, subsidies and state-owned monopolies are all combining to remove investment incentives to exploit the world's energy resources.”
And Copeland MP Jamie Reed was praised in the chamber by his Cumbrian colleague as probably knowing more about the industry than any other MP.
Mr Hutton concluded: “I do not think we should say no to any low-carbon form of power generation.
“Nuclear power is a proven and reliable way of generating low-carbon electricity, and I think it would be wrong for a generation that has taken advantage of the benefits of reliable nuclear power, as this generation has, to say to future generations.
“We are sorry, but we are not going to give you the option of nuclear power in the energy mix,” added the Business Secretary.