Nuclear power got a double boost this week. First, an industry that has long been so controversial that it hardly dare speak its name was delighted to hear Tony Blair cite it at the Labour party conference as one of the options in the government's forthcoming review of new energy sources. Second, it stands to gain from increasing alarm about the high price and reliability of its rival source of electricity generation, natural gas; a Commons committee announced an inquiry into fears of a gas shortage this winter.

But one has to wonder what good will today's prime ministerial words or gas fears do an industry that requires up to 10 years to build a new reactor?