Nuclear power – carbon intensive and environmentally damaging -NOT GREEN – Nuclear Free Local Authorities

NFLAs call on Chancellor not to class nuclear as ‘green’

 – 23 Feb 23,

Fearing the UK Government may – for once – follow an unwanted lead set in Europe, the Chair of UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities network has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer requesting that he refrain for reclassifying nuclear as a ‘green investment’ under revised taxonomy rules.

There has been much speculation in the corridors of power, in the press and amongst the anti-nuclear community that Jeremy Hunt may soon choose to reclassify ‘nuclear’ as a green investment to unlock more private investment in the government’s planned future civil nuclear programme.

A reclassification in the revised taxonomy rules would make such investment more ‘attractive’ and ‘acceptable’ to certain large pension funds and investment companies.
The European Commission has previously adopted an identical strategy, but it was one which met with significant political and societal opposition and led to legal challenges from member states.

In his letter, Councillor Lawrence O’Neill outlines how nuclear power is both carbon-intensive and environmentally damaging. Commenting he said:

“It would be a complete misnomer to describe nuclear as ‘green’. From mining the uranium ore through to dealing with the legacy of radioactive waste, civil nuclear power leaves a massive carbon footprint and contaminates all it touches. The NFLAs hope that the Chancellor will see the logic of leaving things as they are and accede to our request, but if not we shall be ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with all those opposed to this change. Nuclear is not ‘green’ and never will be.”

The letter sent to the Chancellor reads::……………………………..  https://www.nuclearpolicy.info/news/nflas-call-on-chancellor-not-to-class-nuclear-as-green/—

February 24, 2023 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | Leave a comment

Do not bring nuclear energy plants to Scotland, SNP tells new UK energy minister

The SNP has warned new energy minister Andrew Bowie to keep new nuclear power out of Scotland.

Energy policy has long been one of the most contentious issues between the UK and Scottish governments, with disagreements around the future of oil and gas and potential new nuclear stations raging in recent years.

Now, the SNP has urged the UK Government to focus on renewables as opposed to the creation of new nuclear power, which they say would not immediately solve the country’s current energy security issues.

According to a report from Politico, Mr Bowie is set to become the UK’s first ever nuclear energy minister, putting the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP at odds with the Government in Edinburgh.

The SNP’s Westminster energy spokesman Alan Brown said: “Andrew Bowie must be taking up one of the most pointless ministerial positions in the UK government.

“If the Tories think they will bring down energy bills by building nuclear power stations that won’t be ready for years to come then they are more delusional than we thought.

“Scotland is awash with renewable energy potential and Andrew Bowie should be focusing his efforts there, as it will create jobs for his constituents for decades to come and will ensure we are using Scotland’s energy potential to the fullest.”

He added: “Households across Scotland are desperate for solutions to sky-high energy bills now and nuclear power will not provide that answer – indeed, the Government has confirmed it will increase our energy bills.

“Scotland is rich with renewable energy potential and we cannot have our resources squandered once again by successive Westminster governments, that is why the only way we can harness the potential of Scotland’s energy is by becoming an independent country.”

The SNP’s energy spokesman added that nuclear projects were “one of the most expensive forms of energy”, with costs for building Hinkley Point C in Somerset rising to £33 billion according to reports this week, and the cost for the Sizewell C site potentially rising above £30 billion……………… https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/north-sea/decom/484720/uk-trade-boss-touts-massive-potential-for-decom-export-growth-following-release-of-blueprintuk-trade-boss-touts-massive-potential-for-decom-export-growth

February 22, 2023 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | Leave a comment

Signs of madness? —in the rarefied air of the British Parliament, Westinghouse spouts nuclear lies, without being challenged

Rarified (hot) air in halls of power is filled with propaganda

Fortunately, the gallery was under a mandatory code of silence, for it was hard not to emit a gasp of incredulity when the Westinghouse executive announced that his company had been “smashing production records” around the world.

Westinghouse has indeed broken some things: the law, and the bank for starters. But production records? He also mentioned that nuclear was “clean, reliable, dependable power” the very things it is not.

Signs of madness? — Beyond Nuclear International

Decisions on nuclear future are guided by myths

By Linda Pentz Gunter 12 Feb 23

Last month I rushed through the august halls of the British parliament in Westminster, on my way to a briefing on small modular reactors for Members of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee.

Running late though I was, it was tempting to slow down and take in all the historic portraits and portals as I hurried down flagstoned hallways, through heavy oak doors and finally into the richly carpeted committee room. But the albeit fleeting impression all of this left was of a world completely isolated from the reality of the daily struggles most of us endure. The rarified air was almost suffocating.

This became even more apparent as, unwillingly gagged, I listened to testimony from executives representing Westinghouse, Bechtel and Rolls Royce. One unsubstantiated sound bite after another tumbled from the mouths of these corporate executives, all serving their rich agenda of vested interests (read shareholders and profits).

But the questions they faced, at least from the Conservative nuclear cheerleaders present, were mainly mild softballs. Give us the soundbite, they urged. What do we need to tell the government to do to make all this happen?

Even Labour MP, Beth Winter, while challenging them on the obvious detriments of small modular, or any, reactors — time and cost — given, as she pointed out, climate change is very much here now, politely did not expose their utter hypocrisy. It was, after all, not a room in which arguing was on the agenda. 

The Rolls Royce response was to trot out the “we need to do everything” mantra, which is what nuclear companies have to say in order for their technology to stand any chance at all. In reality, it is clear that choosing nuclear cancels out renewables. Meanwhile, Rolls Royce has pocketed — and presumably invested — £250 million (around $302 million US) with which it has done precisely nothing. But that’s the government’s fault, the company says. We just need to get in a room and get things done.

Fortunately, the gallery was under a mandatory code of silence, for it was hard not to emit a gasp of incredulity when the Westinghouse executive announced that his company had been “smashing production records” around the world.

Westinghouse has indeed broken some things: the law, and the bank for starters. But production records? He also mentioned that nuclear was “clean, reliable, dependable power” the very things it is not.

All of this was both a reminder of, and an eye-opener to, exactly the kind of false propaganda our elected officials are continuously exposed to, and swallow whole-heartedly. This is who they listen to: the corporate elite, in the United States bearing gifts as well, often in the form of generous campaign contributions. The politicians bought literally and figuratively by the major corporations, including nuclear power companies, dwell in an echo chamber filled with hot air. It’s not reality.

What was happening in that room in Westminster was also utterly pointless. Sitting there listening to 90 minutes of valuable time squandered in the stubborn pursuit of learning something more about a completely futile technology that has zero applicability to the climate or the immediate jobs crisis, it struck me that this was yet another symptom of humanity’s general malaise. 

Or is it something worse than that? Being hell bent on wasting time and money talking about something entirely irrelevant no matter what the empirical evidence that should dismiss the continued use of nuclear power out of hand, must surely be a sign of some kind of madness?…………………………………….more https://beyondnuclearinternational.org/2023/02/12/signs-of-madness/

February 12, 2023 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | Leave a comment