LONDON - BRITAIN'S government named 10 sites where new nuclear power stations could be built on Monday, while unveiling changes to planning rules aimed at speeding up approval for energy projects.

Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said the move would help secure a new generation of low carbon energy for British homes in coming decades, as part of the fight against climate change.

The 10 nuclear sites - many of which are near existing nuclear facilities - include three in Cumbria, northwest England, near the Sellafield reprocessing plant.

A potential site in Dungeness, southeast England, was ruled out because of the possible impact on the local ecosystem, which is noted for its birdlife and bleak beauty.

The new planning rules, which cover nuclear plants as well as renewable energy and fossil fuels, have raised fears that they could stifle the voice of local protestors opposed to new developments.

But Mr Miliband played down this concern, saying the current system was a 'barrier' to progress. 'The threat of climate change means we need to make a transition from a system that relies heavily on high carbon fossil fuels to a radically different system that includes nuclear, renewable and clean coal power,' he said. -- AFP