Coinciding with news that the cost of decommissioning the UK's nuclear power plants rising again, the government has backed the sell-off of a nuclear clean-up body.
Trade secretary Alan Johnson gave his support to the sell-off of British Nuclear Group, a division of British Nuclear Fuels.
"By bringing in external expertise more quickly, it also contributes to improved clean-up performance for the NDA and is therefore good for the taxpayer," he said.
The move coincided with an announcement from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority that the costs of cleaning up the Sellafied site have pushed up the costs of Britain's nuclear clean-up.
The NDA confirmed that the discovery of more hazardous waste at the Cumbria site has helped increase costs from £56bn to £70bn.
Speaking during his visit to Australia this week, Tony Blair gave his clearest hint yet that he is prepared to back the creation of a second wave of nuclear power plants.
"Clean coal technology, carbon sequestration, renewable energy, the new generation of nuclear power, all of these things I think are going to be part of the mix that we use for our future energy requirements," he said.
But the Liberal Democrats said Thursday's news had implications for the government's energy review.
"The prime minister's desire to make nuclear power part of his personal legacy will mean a legacy for Britain of higher taxes and higher energy prices for years to come," said industry spokesman Edward Davey.
"Prejudging his own energy review on the same day that the cost of cleaning up past nuclear waste has risen to £65bn was a remarkable double own goal."
