nuclear-news

Miliband urged to save mini-nuke site in Cumbria

Moorside’s hopes of hosting first small modular reactors are in jeopardy, MPs warn

Matt Oliver, Industry Editor and Szu Ping Chan, 11 August 2024 

MPs and businesses have warned the energy secretary that the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is putting Moorside’s hopes of hosting
the first small modular reactors (SMRs) in jeopardy.

That is because GBN has signalled it will only pick sites that have enough land available for
several SMRs. As a result, Moorside is at risk of missing out after the NDA
unveiled plans to use most of the site’s space for other decommissioning
purposes. In a letter seen by The Telegraph, MPs, Lords, business leaders
and union officials urged Mr Miliband to instruct the NDA and GBN to
prioritise the land at Moorside for new nuclear use “first and
foremost”, warning that failure to do so would have “considerable”
consequences.

“A lack of clear direction on Moorside is likely to knock
West Cumbria out of the running for the GBN process and our community will
once again have had their hopes raised and dashed,” the letter says.
Moorside is seen as a potentially strong candidate because it is already in
state ownership. By comparison, Bradwell is still owned by China General
Nuclear – which has been frozen out of future British nuclear projects
– and Heysham and Hartlepool, owned by French giant EDF, are still used
by operational nuclear plants. The mounting pressure on Mr Miliband and the
NDA comes after Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, effectively
blocked a new coal mine in the area that would have created thousands of
new jobs.

 Telegraph 11th Aug 2024

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/08/11/miliband-urged-save-mini-nuke-site-cumbria/

August 12, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized