EDF meet today amid concerns over environmental impact and cost
An £18 billion extention to Hinkley nuclear reactor in Somerset is expected to get the go ahead today, despite concerns over its cost and environmental impact.
A decision on the Hinkley Point C site – the first new nuclear plant in the UK for 20 years – will be made when French utility company EDF meets later today.
Most of the money for the project is coming from EDF despite concerns raised about whether the country can afford it, though investment from China has also been secured.
Greenpeace has argued for renewable energy such as wind farms instead of relying on more nuclear power, with 140,000 signing a petition calling for a change of course.
The group also raised concerns about EDF’s ability to deliver the project.
John Sauven, Greenpeace Executive Director, said:
‘There isn’t a shred of evidence that Hinkley can be built on time or on budget.
And if it hits the same problems as its predecessors, it can’t be relied on to keep the lights on in the UK.
And it is costing many more billions in subsidies than initially thought.’
A report in April by the Intergeneration Foundation suggested wind farms could save the UK government billions in the cost of running the reactor.
The extention is supported by Unite the Union for the 5,600 jobs the project will create.
Unite national officer for energy Kevin Coyne said:
‘We urge the EDF board to give the financial go-ahead on a project which will generate thousands of decent skilled jobs and help meet the energy needs of the UK for generations to come.
The cost of not doing so could result in the lights going out in Britain and the West Country missing out on the much needed economic boost which this major infrastructure project would bring.’
He added:
‘Unite has already done a lot of preparation in reaching agreements with contractors over pay and skills, as well as safeguards against blacklisting on the site.
Workers are shovel ready and raring to go, all they need is the green light from the EDF board.’
See: Wind farms and solar energy would cost billions less than Hinkley nuclear plant
2 Responses to “Hinkley nuclear plant extention set for green light”
CR
Waste of money. We should be building British designed and resourced power stations.
Jay ginn
There are probably more skilled engineering jobs involved in building equivalent capacity through renewables such as wind and wave and tide power.
Also improving cost effectiveness of local solar schemes, home insulation etc.
And taking heat for homes from underground requires R and D in engineering too.
Why mush Unite cling to nuclear power option when there are alternatives that provide jobs without the risks of nuclear power stations, including release of radioactive isotopes into the sea as has happened with sella field, production of plutonium as by product with risk its misused as weapon, decommissioning costs in future and,not term storage cost and risk, …..also uncertain but high cost of this project to taxpayers .