Hinkley Nuclear Deal Terrible News for UK Consumers

Downing Street announced today that they have given the green light to the Hinkley Point nuclear deal with EDF and Chinese General Nuclear Power Corporation. The deal will see a new type of nuclear reactor built in Somerset with the project being dogged by setbacks since it was first discussed when Tony Blair was Prime Minister.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Director, Dr Richard Dixon, said:

“Building new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point and committing to pay EDF twice the current energy price for the next 35 years is a colossal waste of public money. Our grandkids will still be paying it off and for generations to come people will be living with the toxic legacy of nuclear waste.

“We should instead investing in renewables and energy efficiency that can provide the safe, flexible, decentralised energy we need now and in the future. Going for green energy would be cheaper, faster and safer than continuing to chase the nuclear dream.

“Once the deal has been signed comes the truly difficult part of actually building the plant. This type of reactor design has never been successfully completed anywhere with EDF’s two other projects in Finland and France well over budget and behind schedule. It is quite possible the Hinkley Point reactors will never produce a single electron.”

Notes to Editors

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Greg Clark, is to make a statement in the House of Commons on Thursday 15 September at 12.30ppm on Hinkley Point C.

The government spending watchdog the National Audit Office has warned that Hinkley Point C could cost UK energy consumers £30bn in “top-up payments” due to falling wholesale power prices. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/13/hinkley-point-c-cost-30b…

The Financial Times estimated that Hinkley Point could generate more than £100billion in revenue for EDF and the Chinese partners over 35 years. This figure could rise to £160billion if inflation rose.
https://www.ft.com/content/9a8ecc04-703a-11e6-9ac1-1055824ca907

Blair backs new nuclear power plans (2006)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4987196.stm

Friends of the Earth Scotland is
* Scotland's leading environmental campaigning organisation
* An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland
* Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 75 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups.
www.foe-scotland.org.uk