Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of mud from the site of a disused nuclear power station is to be dumped off Cardiff’s coast when the UK’s newest nuclear power station is built. EDF Energy, which is building the Hinkley Point C reactor in north Somerset, has a marine licence to dump up to 200,000 cubic metres of dredged material close to Cardiff Bay. One expert has raised concerns about the proposed dumping, saying he fears that the mud may have a higher level of radioactivity that is currently believed. Expert Tim Deere-Jones has been analysing data about the tests conducted on mud and waste which could be dumped off the coast of Wales. He says he has three concerns about the waste. Mr Deere-Jones says that there are 50 different radionuclides and that testing has only taken place on three of those. Secondly, he says that he believes only surface samples have been taken. He says that while samples of from between 0 and 5cm have been taken, research from other sites has shown that if samples are taken from five times deeper, there can be a five times higher collection of radioactivity. Thirdly, he says tides in Wales mean that waste could be transferred from the sea into land, that can be through coastal flooding or even sea spray heading up to 10 miles inland. However, it is understood dredging has not yet begun and no date set for it to begin.
Wales Online 25th Sept 2017 read more »
Letter Alan Debenham The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced last week the results of its latest auction in which more than three gigawatts electricity generation was awarded. The big news was the impressive strike prices for two offshore wind farms to be delivered in 2022-23 – £57.50 MW/h. This falls well below the price guaranteed for the planned Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant of £92.50 MW/h, guaranteed and inflation uplifted for the next 35 years! Put simply, this latest news should be the death knell for Hinkley C and the whole Tory resurrected nuclear new-build programme – very sad for the millions put into all the widespread preparatory works for this white elephant doomed at birth.
West Somerset Free Press 24th Sept 2017 read more »
A Nottinghamshire firm has begun delivery of a £50m contract for accommodation units for workers at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station site in Somerset. Caledonian Modular from Carlton-on-Trent near Newark employs about 150 people and was awarded the contract by main contractor Laing O’Rourke. The first accommodation units rolled off the factory production line in March and are being delivered to Somerset 96% finished. Each 34 bedroom block will be completed on site within just eight weeks from delivery. Fifteen blocks will be delivered to the Hinkley Point site and 29 to the accommodation campus in Bridgwater. Using pre-fabricated units made at Caledonian’s 40 acre site cuts the schedule by 50% compared tobuilding on site, offers assured quality, and reduces the environmental impact of construction at Hinkley Point and in Bridgwater.
EDF Energy 25th Sept 2017 read more »
