nuclear-news

UK’s nuclear power project – a dead cat

It’s a great opportunity to add your voice to the growing number of people saying no to new nuclear – and if this week is anything to go by, that list includes most of the nuclear industry itself. 

Even blank cheques from government can’t make nuclear power work, Greenpeace UK – 4 October 2012 The government has bent over backwards to accommodate the nuclear industry. Yet despite promising billions of pounds of public subsidy, it seems unable to find anyone willing to build a nuclear reactor.

Last year, the German utilities RWE and E.ON pulled out of new nuclear and put their consortium, Horizon, up for sale. Bidding closed last Friday. There were no credible offers.

The Chinese – whom the government said would bankroll several bids – were nowhere to be seen . French reactor manufacturer, Areva, didn’t bid and Toshiba has put in a bid that industry analysts say it can’t afford.

The most credible bid came from Hitachi. But the Japanese company has a major hurdle to overcome: getting its reactor design approved. That takes years; it hasn’t even started. Don’t expect to see a Hitachi reactor built on our shores any time soon.

With no sign of a rescue on the Horizon (£) (haha!) the government is hoping that the two remaining consortia will bear fruit. That’s looking ever more unlikely.

EDF and Centrica were supposed to build new reactors at Hinkley Point and Sizewell. But Centrica is understandably nervous about the reactors’ rising cost and an expensive programme of repairs to its French plant have forced EDF to go cap in hand to the Chinese.

Scottish Power and GDF Suez were to build a reactor at Sellafield. Scottish Power is said to want out (£) and it’s very unlikely that GDF Suez could continue alone….

This weekend, anti-nuclear campaigners from around the UK will gather in Somerset to oppose the new reactor planned for Hinkley Point. There are plans for a rally in Bridgwater and a protest at Hinkley Point, where EDF is proposing to build a new reactor.

It’s a great opportunity to add your voice to the growing number of people saying no to new nuclear – and if this week is anything to go by, that list includes most of the nuclear industry itself. http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/nuclear/even-blank-cheques-government-cant-make-nuclear-power-work-20121004

October 6, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general