Charles Hendry, the
UK Government’s Energy Minister displayed rather more confidence in the
prospects for Wylfa B than any publicly available facts can justify during his
visit to Ynys Môn yesterday. The
statement from the opposition group, PAWB, that the project is ‘dead in the
water’ looks like an understatement, if anything, to me – it never got as far
as the water before dying.
The companies
behind the project have abandoned it and put the consortium up for sale, and a
number of other countries are busily abandoning their nuclear energy
programmes, yet the UK
government seems determined to continue to swim against the tide.
It’s possible, of
course, that Hendry already knows something we don’t. Perhaps there is another company, or
companies, which really are ready to take over the scheme and build a new station. Two things seem clear however if that is the
case.
The first is that
the only companies likely to be interested are those owned by the Russian or
Chinese states, and the second is that “The
Government’s plans to reform the electricity market and how far these offer
subsidies to the nuclear industry” will be a key consideration. Whether they’re actually called subsidies and
how open and transparent they are is open to doubt – but new nuclear power
stations will not be built in the UK without a massive financial
commitment from the state.
If, on the other
hand, he has no insider knowledge on which to base his optimism for the
project, then he is simply misleading those to whom he is speaking. Worse than that however is that for as long
as politicians like Hendry continue with their unwavering commitment to nuclear
energy, the greener alternatives do not receive the same level of backing.
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9 comments:
Carwyn Jones would welcome the trident submarines to Wales, in the event of Scottish independence.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-18509639
Of course Carwyn would welcome them to Wales, it means he doesn't have to do any work yet gets to take all the credit.
Previous Labour-led Welsh governments have had a nuclear free Wales policy.
Rhodri's former 'clear red water' is likely to get even more tainted with plutonium and caesium.
Wales will become the nuclear 'sink' of the UK.
If Wales' share of the cost of the renewal project was spent on infrastructure it would create many thousands more jobs than the handful of spin-off jobs what would come to west Wales.
As ever, Labour proves over and over that it never acts in the interests of the people of Wales, and never will.
John
Not sure how we got onto Trident on this one.
Milford Haven cannot cope with Oil tankers Lng Tankers Irish ferries Cruise liners Marina traffic and general recreational craft plus nuclear subs and associted support vessels. Something has to give
Go tell Titanic there are icebergs ahead
John
BBC Wales tonight announced that the new Pembrokeshire power station When it is fully onstream in September will produce enough electricity for 3 million people.
I guess thats all of us here in Wales sorted
I think it said 3 million homes. There are 1 million homes in Wales.
|Of course, I Carwyn is successful in his bid to attract the Scottish WMDs here, it will have to close, as will all other refineries and energy resources on the haven.
Siônnyn,
"Of course ... it will have to close, as will all other refineries and energy resources on the haven."
Why? Whilst not supporting Carwyn Jones' little plan, I don't see how this follows from it.
Well, isn't that what the report in the 1960s said? Along with the WMDs come many other high explosives, and dangerous practices.
I don't think it actually said that it couldn't be done, merely that it wasn't the best thing to do.
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