The British government has identified 11 sites where new nuclear power plants could be built by 2025.
The list includes proposals for two new plants near the Sellafield reactor site in Cumbria.
Ministers have recently stepped up moves to find suitable sites in England and Wales for what they describe as a new generation of power stations.
The publication of the list of sites sparked anger from environmental campaigners but hopes of new jobs and a boost to local economies.
Nine of the locations have previously been home to nuclear reactors - including Dungeness in Kent and Sizewell in Suffolk.
The sites have been nominated by companies interested in building the stations and have been initially approved by the Government.
The potential locations in England and Wales are:
1 Wylfa Peninsula, Anglesey
2 Oldbury, Gloucester
3 Bradwell, Essex
4 Hinkley Point, Somerset
5 Kirksanton, Cumbria
6 Braystones, Cumbria
7 Sellafield, Cumbria
8 Heysham, Lancashire
9 Sizewell, Suffolk
10 Dungeness, Kent
11 Hartlepool, Cleveland
Members of the public are now being asked for their views during a month-long consultation, with the expectation of a shortlist being drawn up.
British Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband welcomed what he called 'another important step towards a new generation of nuclear power stations'.
The sites have been nominated by energy giants EDF, E.ON and RWE, and by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and could be operational by 2025.
Keith Parker, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: 'The announcement shows that we're making strong and tangible progress towards building new nuclear power stations, which will help keep the UK's lights on and drive down our carbon emissions.'
However Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Robin Webster warned 'breathing new life into the failed nuclear experiment' was not the answer to the UK's energy problems.
