The government has published draft rules for the building of nuclear power plants in England and Wales.

Ministers want potential investors to propose sites to build new stations to replace those due for decommissioning.

The Strategic Siting Assessments should look at factors such as the risks posed by earth tremors, storm surges, tsunamis, coastal erosion and rising sea levels.

According to a recent report in the Telegraph, the new nuclear power stations will probably be built alongside existing facilities.

The newspaper said Heysham in Lancashire is one possible site for a nuclear power station.

Business secretary John Hutton said: "We must do everything we can to remove any remaining barriers and open up the UK as the most attractive place in the world to invest in nuclear power."

The Heysham One reactor is scheduled to close in 2014, with the second reactor likely to follow suit nine years later.