Controversial UK nuclear power station Hinkley point looks set still to be built, despite making no economic or environmental sense. But what’s so bad about nuclear? We spoke to Greenpeace activist and campaigner Kate Blagojevic. They don’t have a plan for Hinkley. Nuclear waste is highly toxic and lasts for centuries. They need to have a good plan to deal with it safely. Hinkley doesn’t make economic or environmental sense and we don’t want to reach a point in the UK where the only thing we can do is build more. There’s so much new technology which means that renewable energy platforms are actually readily available and could create a whole new industry, that’s what we should be investing in. For example the UK is really well equipped for offshore wind because we’ve got a really windy coastline, so we should look into making that a possibility.
Huck Magazine 10th Oct 2016 read more »
Letter: Timely as it is to be reminded by the deputy leader of Somerset County Council that Hinkley C is of national importance and that it will have a huge impact on the county, the South West and beyond, it would also behove everyone to remember (and occasionally actually acknowledge) the overwhelming contribution made to this project by West Somerset Council and its residents. Not only are all the Hinkley power plants, including Hinkley C, located in West Somerset, but without the permission for the site preparation works being given by this council in 2011, the whole new build project may not have been able to proceed. As host authority, West Somerset’s planning team also played a major part in negotiating the terms and conditions of the Development Consent Order, assisted by the county council and neighbouring authorities. More importantly, it must not be forgotten that it is Stogursey parish and the residents of Shurton in particular who are paying the true price for the privilege of keeping the lights on for the rest of the country. On a daily basis they live with the noise, dust and general disturbance from the largest construction site in Europe on their doorstep and the prospect of a 50-bed hostel just beyond their back gardens. They also have to endure all the traffic for the new build – the lorries, buses and delivery vehicles plus all the traffic for the other two Hinkley stations passing through the parish on the C182. Added to this the local roads are plagued by an increase of minibus traffic bringing HPC workers to the site. These residents are indeed the “collateral damage” as recognised by one of the senior civil servants from DECC when he met with local residents on several occasions when this project was first mooted. So please forgive me for being rather unsympathetic when residents of neighbouring towns complain of the traffic increases which they are experiencing as a result of HPC – just spare a thought for the community of Shurton.
West Somerset 9th Oct 2016 read more »
The Hinkley nuclear power plant to be built in Somerset is the way forward for the UK. That’s the view of Angela Knight, Chair at the Office for Tax Simplification and former CEO of Energy UK, who told ELN it is good the nation is starting to redevelop the nuclear industry. Ms Knight said: “All that I ever see is how much the wind piece costs or the sun piece costs. I never see added in how much this backup that’s only going to run for 60% or 70% of the time [will cost]. That seems to be ignored out of the calculation. Doing the sums properly, being honest about the costs is vitally important just as we have to shift the grid if we’re going to go for renewables. There are no cheap options.
Energy Live News 10th Oct 2016 read more »