Frightened almost to death by the global crisis over dependence on Russian energy, Tory Comedy prime Minister Boris Johnson made a mad nuclear dash to Hinkley Point here in Somerset to announce they’d be reversing the mistakes of the past and building a new reactor every year giving what he claimed would be a clean, green baseload of energy amounting to some 24 gigawats by 2050. Hinkley alone he claims will provide the power for 6 million homes (that’s likely the new Quantock road development). This was , he sound-bit, ‘bringing nuclear home’ . But has he got it right? Labour energy commentators are not so sure….
Cllr Mick Lerry (Labour, Bridgwater Victoria) who is the Town Councils Economy Portfolio Holder commented “The Government has failed to understand that there is a need for a short term plan to move away from fossil fuels and to help people with the increase in energy bills. Onshore turbine wind power could reduce demand on oil and gas within two years, but the Government has banned onshore turbines in England. There are many onshore wind farms waiting to be constructed if the Government gave the go ahead for the cheapest generation of renewable power”.
‘Not a Quick fix’
“New Nuclear is needed for the base source of energy and it is low-carbon, compared to gas and coal. But; is there a need for the number identified by Government, as the reactors take ten to twelve years to build. Modular reactors are being developed, however the manufacture and installation are a number of years away”, said Mick. “This now the time to turn towards wave and lagoon power as the country moves towards the stronger demand for green energy. Labour has both a long and short term plan for a greener, cleaner renewable energy future, that would make the country more self sufficient and independent for the future”.
‘Undermining themselves’
Bridgwater Town Council Climate Emergency Portfolio Holder Cllr Kathy Pearce (Labour, Bridgwater Westover) added “This government’s Energy Strategy is completely undermined by their intention to include a launch of a new round of North Sea oil and gas projects in the autumn. The only viable long- term solutions are:
- firstly, to escalate the insulation of homes to help people manage their energy demand and avoid fuel poverty;
- secondly, to focus entirely on home produced renewable energy in order to prevent future threats to fuel security and
- thirdly, to update planning legislation to prevent developers continuing to take the short-term, short-sighted, cheaper option of relying on fossil fuel energy to fuel new homes. “
Johnson’s plan for a collection of new nuclear power stations is completely in keeping with his normal, quarter-baked solutions to critical problems. Does anyone know the range and quantity of the earth’s resources that are consumed in the construction of a nuclear power station? How long does it take to build one, from planning permission to completion?
We’re surrounded by sea, and not short of wind! As well as solar we need to harness the power of on- and offshore wind, wave and inland waterways as a matter of urgency.
Saving the planet for future generations of humans and other species must be a collective responsibility for local communities as well as for national and global decision-makers.