Oldbury on new nuclear shortlist
Oldbury has been named on a list of potential sites for new nuclear power stations unveiled by the Government.
The sites have been nominated by companies interested in building the stations and have been initially approved by the Government.
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Oldbury on new nuclear shortlist
The full list of potential locations is: Dungeness in Kent; Sizewell in Suffolk; Hartlepool in Cleveland; Heysham in Lancashire; Sellafield in Cumbria; Braystones in Cumbria; Kirksanton in Cumbria; Wylfa Peninsula in Anglesey; Oldbury in Gloucestershire; Hinkley Point in Somerset and Bradwell in Essex.
Nine of the locations have previously been home to nuclear reactors – including Dungeness in Kent and Sizewell in Suffolk – while two others are close to the former Sellafield reactor site in Cumbria.
The proposals form part of the Government's plan to build a new generation of nuclear power stations to help close what has been described as a "generation gap" expected as existing nuclear and coal-fired stations shutdown.
Members of the public are now being asked for their views during a month-long consultation period.
Matthew Riddle, South Gloucestershire councillor for the Severn area, said plans to bring the Oldbury site, near Thornbury, back into use would bring jobs and a boost to the local economy.
"The general reaction from people here is that they are fairly happy about a power station at Oldbury, there is no great groundswell of opposition to it," he said.
"Nationally we need more power generation in this country.
"My concern is what will happen during the construction in terms of extra traffic and the increase in people coming to live in the area to work.
"E.ON have bought more land around the site then they need and I would like to ensure that land is managed as farm land and not just left to become wasteland."
The sites have been nominated by the energy giants EDF, E.ON and RWE, and by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), which owns some nuclear sites.
3 Comments
by Vic, Bristol
Thursday, April 16 2009, 3:02PM
“To do nothing is not an option if we want the lights to stay on.”
by Jim Duffy, Bridgwater
Thursday, April 16 2009, 10:46AM
“Most anti-nuclear campaigners are the opposite to NIMBY: they do not want to see nuclear reactors anywhere not just 'in our back yard' as they are concerned about the wider implications.
Nuclear waste will be dangerous for tens of thousands of years and will affect future generations who may not have the resources to manage leaks from dumps excavated half a mile underground that will contaminate waterways and crops.
They are also concerned that nuclear is being pushed at the expense of renewable energy which is suffering during the economic downturn. No account seems to be taken of the real risk of nuclear builders going bankrupt and leaving half-built reactors in the UK while the French and other foreign builders, concentrate on their domestic supply. Areva, French partrners of EDF who want to build at Hinkley, currently face a 3 billion Euro black hole. UK taxpayers may be forced to cough up to finance construction projects which in Finland have run 3 years late with massive added costs.
They are also concerned that nuclear will come too late to bridge an energy gap in 5 years time and will be ineffective and a distraction in combatting climate change. Replacing all UK nuclear output, a tall order in itself, will only reduce our carbon emmissions by 4 percent while we have targets to reduce these emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Renewables and energy efficiency could achieve both these goals.
There are local arguments against nuclear power, especially the health risk to children as shown in a recent German Government study. The whole picture weighs against nuclear yet the Government keeps pushing this unsustainable technology.”
by Vic, Bristol
Wednesday, April 15 2009, 10:57AM
“Where are the comments from the NIMBYs trying to hide behind the Doomsday falacy?”