Last month EDF Energy welcomed BBC Radio 5 Live to Hinkley Point B nuclear power station and to the construction site for Hinkley Point C for a special series of programmes interviewing people connected to the nuclear industry. Over the last few weeks, the radio station has been broadcasting a range of programmes that explore existing and future nuclear generation, renewables operations and the future of low-carbon generation, such as battery storage and electric vehicles.

Webwire 15th March 2019 read more »

I’m beginning to think we’re living in an age of uncertainty today that is manifesting itself on a local, national, European and even a global level. And while I’m not sure it will result in anything as dramatic as the toppling of the French monarchy or the re-drawing of the world’s maps, I really don’t know where things will end. The future of Suffolk rests on a precipice. Last week I wrote about the possibility of a new town, or towns, being built to the north of Ipswich to satisfy the demand for a northern by-pass. There is also the threat of Sizewell C and the onshore infrastructure needed for offshore wind industry to the entire heritage coast area between Aldeburgh and Lowestoft. I was pleased to see the concerns expressed by Suffolk County Council’s cabinet over these threats at its meeting this week – but the truth is that local voices don’t really matter to EDF or the government. They are looking at the national picture and if that means destroying some of the most important natural environments in Suffolk then so be it. While I have great sympathy for the protest groups trying to fight these plans, and for the views expressed by the county council, I have to say they won’t sway any minds in the London or Paris offices where the decisions will be taken. However, I still retain the hope and belief that the economics of the old technology of nuclear power will ultimately persuade EDF it simply isn’t worth pursuing the Sizewell nightmare. And I do hope that the firms planning to bring green renewable power onshore from the North Sea windfarms will be prepared to show that the environment of the people of east Suffolk is as important to them as the general environment that their power plants help to advance.

East Anglian Daily Times 14th March 2019 read more »

This consultation is part of the government’s review of infrastructure finance. The review will look at the government’s tools for supporting private investment, and how they are delivered, in the context of the UK’s changing relationship with the European Investment Bank. The government is committed to ensuring high levels of private investment continue to flow into UK projects, to help build infrastructure fit for the 21st century. All interested parties are invited to respond by 5 June 2019. Responses are welcomed by post or by email.

Treasury 13th March 2019 read more »

NFLA submits its views on Sizewell C proposed new nuclear reactor – new nuclear is not needed as renewable and related energy alternatives are cheaper, easier to realise, waste free and scalable.

NFLA 13th March 2019 read more »

A PARK and ride area, aimed towards car sharing commuters, has been rubber stamped by Anglesey Council planners. The plans, submitted by the authority, will include enough spaces for 116 cars and set up near junction 7 of the A55’s eastbound carriageway, near the Menai Science Park in Gaerwen. The approved plans also include cycle storage, six electrical charging facilities and a bus stop, which is hoped will encourage motorists to lift share. According to the planning documents, it had been envisaged it would be used by Wylfa Newydd construction workers but with the fate of that project currently in the air, officers told this afternoon’s planning committee meeting that it would be available for general commuters.

North Wales Chronicle 12th March 2019 read more »

While Philip Hammond was busy offering a few marginal measures for green energy he is busy planning to give nuclear power a massive multibillion state funded boost. Clothed in talk of a new means financing infrastructure projects is a silkily wrapped poison pill involving a massive public handout to nuclear power. Heralded as a key accompaniment to today’s Spring Budget statement there is a misleading message that the Government is to adopt so-called ‘Regulated Asset Base’ (RAB) financing of nuclear power projects. This is said to be a successor vehicle to the much-abused PFI system. But if deployed to aid nuclear power the result, is likely to be much much worse than any horrors that have come from even PFI. In fact the notion of RAB financing is being grotesquely distorted to hide the fact that this is a cover for the Government risking very large sums of money to be lent to nuclear power developers. Put simply, if the nuclear power projects are as expensive as they usually are the electricity consumer will lose an awful lot of money and prices will be jerked upwards. Either that or the taxpayer takes a hit and funding of public services suffer big time. You can see the cover up reproduced in the impression given by the Government to the Financial Times today where, we are told that ‘For new nuclear power stations, for example, the government is keen on the use of “RAB” (regulated asset base) financing of the sort used to build the Thames Tideway tunnel’ Under such schemes the developers are allowed to charge consumers in advance for the capital building projects. What Ministers are not emphasising of course, is that in industries such as water the Government does not lend lots of money to the privatised companies. They raise this on private markets. But in the case of nuclear power plants the bulk of the money needed to build them will be borrowed from the Government.

Dave Toke’s Blog 13th March 2019 read more »