nuclear-news

Revelations of UK government’s deceit over true state of its nuclear energy programme

 “The government has been colluding with the nuclear industry to try to media manage the collapse of their hopes,”

 “In reality the cost of new nuclear power has doubled in recent years and continues to rise. Instead of trying to pull the wool over the public’s eyes, the government should accept their nuclear dream is over and back renewable energy.”

Emails reveal UK government’s moves to protect nuclear power from bad news
Government officials worked closely with E.ON and RWE to soften the impact of a major blow to plans for a new nuclear programme Rob Edwards guardian.co.uk,  19 July 2012 Government officials worked closely with two energy companies to soften the impact of a major blow to ministers’ plans for a new programme of nuclear power stations, internal emails reveal.

The revelation is further evidence of how Westminster has collaborated with the industry to try and protect nuclear power from bad news, first exposed by the Guardian in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident in Japan last year.

The German utilities, E.ON and RWE, announced on 29 March that they were abandoning plans to build two nuclear power stations at Oldbury in Gloucestershire and Wylfa in Anglesey. The decision was blamed on the German government’s retreat from nuclear power after Fukushima and doubts about financing…….

RWE gave details of when it was informing Jones, as well as Labour’s shadow energy minister, Tom Greatrex, the commercial secretary to the Treasury, Lord Sassoon, and a raft of other politicians and local stakeholders.

“We think it is possible for new nuclear to be built in the UK,” RWE said. “As you can see from the press release, we are not making any comment on the UK policy position.”

The emails, large portions of which have been censored, were releasedby Decc in response to a request under freedom of information legislation. One from RWE is marked “strictly private and confidential”.

The environmental group Greenpeace accused ministers of trying to mislead the public. “The government has been colluding with the nuclear industry to try to media manage the collapse of their hopes,” said nuclear campaigner, Richard George.

“In reality the cost of new nuclear power has doubled in recent years and continues to rise. Instead of trying to pull the wool over the public’s eyes, the government should accept their nuclear dream is over and back renewable energy.”… http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/19/emails-nuclear-power?newsfeed=true

July 20, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK