LONDON: Britain and France are to sign a deal to construct a new generation of nuclear power stations and export the technology around the world in an effort to combat climate change.

The pact is to be announced at the “Arsenal summit” next week when Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet at the Emirates stadium in north London.

Britain hopes to take advantage of French expertise to build the power stations that do not rely on fossil fuels. Nearly 79 per cent of France’s electricity comes from its highly-developed nuclear power industry. The UK’s ageing nuclear plants are ready for decommissioning and supply 20 per cent of its energy needs.

Brown hopes the partnership will create a skilled British labour force who would then work in partnership with France to sell nuclear power stations to other countries over the next 15 years.

Britain this week started the process of licensing four generic reactor designs, including the French-designed Areva run by EDF (Electricte de France).

The Anglo-French plan will be controversial among those who believe that nuclear power is too dangerous and dirty, and that governments should place more emphasis on renewable sources of power as part of an international effort to reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2050.

There is a growing view within the energy industry that nuclear power could be the next lucrative market. British Energy, the country’s biggest reactor operator, has become the target of a potential GBP7bn takeover bid as the UK tries to guarantee a secure future energy supply without relying on gas imports from Russia as North Sea oil and gas supplies dwindle.

The nuclear deal is one of several Anglo-French initiatives the two are expected to announce when they meet on Thursday.

They will also unveil a new drive against illegal immigration, with a range of measures to tighten border controls at the Channel ports and take joint action to remove failed asylum seekers.

The immigration package will include:

—Joint charter flights which would start in Britain, make a stopover in France and take migrants back to countries including Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq. The French believe they can learn from the British on how to implement forced and voluntary removals, including of foreign prisoners

—An increase in the number of lorry checks at French and British ports. Ministers believe more staff could double the number of lorries searched, from 1 million last year. It is claimed 18,000 illegal immigrants were stopped in trucks in 2007

—An increase in the number of French undercover officers targeting gangs smuggling people into Britain

—Confirmation there would be no Sangatte II reception centre in Calais to attract asylum seekers and migrants.

Sarkozy will use his two-day visit to Britain to push for a plan to sign a Europe-wide pact on immigration during France’s presidency of the EU in the second half of the year.—Dawn/The Guardian News Service