nuclear-news

Welsh anti-nuclear groups warn on the nuclear lobbyists behind the new Freeport bid for Anglesea.

Anti-nuclear activists are ringing warning bells that this week’s
announcement of a new Freeport for Anglesey represents a way in for
unwanted new nuclear developments on the island, with at least six backers
of the bid having direct connections to the industry.

Named amongst the sponsors of the Freeport bid are leading nuclear industry businesses,
Assystem, Bechtel, Last Energy, Molten Flex, Rolls-Royce SMR, and New Cleo,
all of which are vying to develop and locate new nuclear power plants at
the Wylfa site on the island and elsewhere in the UK.

All are competing for
public attention and public funds by issuing media releases that frequently
make outrageous claims to be on the verge of making a UK-wide product
roll-out.

Yet most of their nuclear power plant designs being (as yet)
unproven, unauthorised, and unbuilt so-called Small Modular Reactors.

Other members of the Freeport consortia include Bangor University, with its
Nuclear Future Institute; M-Sparc, with its connections to the University’s
nuclear department; and the Association of North and Mid-Wales Councils,
which include unabashed nuclear enthusiasts, Ynys Mon and Gwynedd Councils.

Six Welsh anti-nuclear groups – CADNO, CND Cymru, Cymdeithas yr iaith (the
Welsh Language Society), PAWB (Pobl Atal Wylfa B / People against Wylfa-B),
WANA (The Welsh Anti-Nuclear Alliance) and the Welsh NFLA (Nuclear Free
Local Authorities) met in Caernarfon, Gwynedd in July 2022 and signed a
Declaration pledging their opposition to new nuclear power plants and to
fight for a green and sustainable future for Wales.

These Welsh
anti-nuclear campaigners are concerned about the lack of transparency and
public engagement about the extensive involvement of nuclear players in the
Freeport bid and are terribly disappointed that, aside from one marine
energy business, there are not more genuinely green energy producers in the
mix.

NFLA 3rd April 2023

April 3, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | spinbuster, UK