SCIENTISTS ADD TO CONCERNS OVER NEW NUCLEAR PLANT FOR HARTLEPOOL

Fiona Hall, Liberal Democrat Energy Spokesperson in Europe, has backed scientists and academics who have come out against Government plans for a new generation of nuclear power stations.  One of the new nuclear plants is in the North East at the site of the existing reactor in Hartlepool.

The Government, which is due to make a formal response to a second round of public consultation, was criticised heavily last week by an expert panel of scientists and academics including some of its own advisors. The Nuclear Consultation Group accused the Government of being biased in its approach to the consultations and said the approach “was designed to provide particular and limiting answers”.

Going even further the panel warned that vital questions surrounding the risks from radiation, the disposal of radioactive waste, and the vulnerability of new power plants to terrorist attacks all remained unanswered.

Criticising the Government’s approach, Fiona Hall MEP said:

“This alarm call comes from distinguished experts who should be listened to.

“Not only are vital questions surrounding the security and safety of nuclear power simply not being addressed, but the Government’s reasoning for going down the nuclear road is misguided.

“While nuclear power is a low-carbon source of electricity, it will not significantly lower this country’s carbon emissions within the necessary timeframe and it will haemorrhage resources away from genuinely sustainable energy projects.

“It is not possible to have these new nuclear reactors built and up-and-running by 2020. Yet to avoid the worst-case scenarios of global warming we have to slash our carbon emissions well before then.”