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Nuclear “Reach Out”
Walking through fields
I have had a busy couple of days getting out and about meeting with a range of different stakeholders who all have an interest in the Government’s programme to facilitate the development of nuclear new build.
It all started last Friday with a request from a local community who live near to the proposed site at Hinkley Point to visit the surrounding area and to meet with local people. Myself and a colleague travelled to a small village in Somerset called Shurton where we were greeted by local villagers at the host’s house. Not only were we invited to the village by residents, but the Leader of the local council and senior officers met us to welcome us to the area. Once business with the local authorities concluded we headed out for a “ramble” through the countryside complete in our wellies.
Hergen Haye with local people
The purpose of the tour was to see firsthand, from the perspective of those who border the proposed development area, what the construction could mean for their daily lives. My primary objective was to listen to their views, concerns and aspirations. I was shown the area where the reactors are proposed to be built including the valley bordering on the villages of Shurton, Burton and Knighton & Wick, which would be levelled for the construction period.
We walked right up to near the new build site and then passed the badger sets which have been built to re-house all the badgers on the land.The majority of the local villagers who we met accept that new nuclear could be part of the energy mix and support the Government’s overall policy to facilitate this. But what is important to them is that any proposed development is done in the best way for everyone.
Radioactive man
It was a very enjoyable, informative and constructive day which gave us a much better understanding of the size of the proposed development and the possible impact on the local community. There are many issues for us to consider and to evaluate what role central Government can constructively play to enable new nuclear whilst ensuring as much as possible the quality of life of those local communities affected.
A couple of days later I was engaging with a completely different audience of stakeholders to discuss the consultations on the Funded Decommissioning Guidance and the Waste Transfer Pricing Methodology. This was a technical yet constructive discussion on how Government will ensure that operators make arrangements to put aside money from day one to cover the costs of decommissioning and waste storage which is key to Government delivering new nuclear without public subsidy.
Our efforts to “reach out” to our stakeholders means that we are meeting not just those from industry but also those from local communities and, as you can see from the picture below, with the Simpson’s radioactive man who made an appearance at our consultation event.
11 Responses to “Nuclear “Reach Out””
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I thought that the Chief Nuclear Inspector’s report was just an interim and we are expecting a final report this month summarising the additional safeguards needed.post-Fukushima.
Also the EC is conducting “stress tests” throughout Europe. Shouldn’t we wait for the results of these before fixing the designs?
Please confirm the exact position.
Yes that is right – we have received the interim report by Dr. Mike Weightman and expect the final report in due course. The Generic Design Assessment is yet to be completed and has, indeed, extended its timetable to take into account lessons learned from Fukushima.
The EU stress tests apply to existing sites, rather than new designs, and explore their robustness against beyond design basis events.
Hergen
In the late1980s and early 1990s, a number of UK studies revealed increased incidences of childhood leukemias near the nuclear facilities at Windscale (now Sellafield), Burghfield and Dounreay. Two independent medical studies found elevated rates of leukemia in young people living around La Hague. (Similar leukemia clusters have also been recorded around the British reprocessing site at Sellafield which has turned the Irish Sea into one of the most
radioactively contaminated bodies of water in the world).
Sorry I meant to type Hergen
Bergen – can we expect any responses on this blog from DECC ?
What happend about this plan under discussion in 2008. Given that nuclear power is actually just a big , expensive and very dangerous steam engine that is incalculably expensive long term sure this plan at 35 billion to supply polution free energy to the whole of europe is a cheap option?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/23/solarpower.windpower
Demand reduction and energy efficiency programme is what we need – on a scale not seen before across all sectors, particularly heat and power for buildings. This is cheaper for Uk plc and safer. Also less mess and cost for future generations to deal with – they will be less able in future than we are now to decommission. Honestly – where is the policy and technical R&D research in all this? Mackay is just one guy you know – I realise he has written a popular book. More science and integrated thinking in government please – nuclear is not a panacea – more like an unaffordable dangerous mess for our grandchildren.
Let hope that now japan has yet again shown what a ridiculously dangerous and unstable energy source nuclear power is that we can end this debate. With all the other clean and renewable options this makes no sense.
I agree with Prabhat’s blog! Well done for your the efforts.
Thanks Mike.
Views and confidence of local people is must for the success of a project. Best Wishes Sir.