Brown pushes new nuclear power

LONDON, June 16 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants more nuclear power.

Brown said he wants Britain to play more of a major role in building the 1,000 nuclear power stations around the world that he envisions as the solution to the planet's energy woes, The Independent reported.

He also will be one of the many leaders flying to Saudi Arabia for an emergency oil summit next week.

Nuclear power plants should be built in parts of Africa and South America, despite terrorism risks, not just in Western nations, Brown said. He also said nuclear power will be key to meeting the world's growing energy demand.

Brown promised by the end of the month the government will publish its plans for a 700-percent increase in energy from renewable sources such as wind farms, wave power, biomass and solar energy, but he made it clear that nuclear power must play an increasing role in Britain's energy.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn outlined plans to offer money to communities to provide burial sites for nuclear waste, and areas of the United Kingdom that offered sites would become involved in the multibillion-dollar project that would bring benefits such as hundreds of new jobs.