Same Old Not New Not Zero Nuclea

Posted: 29th May 2022

“Same Old Not New Not Zero Nuclear”

(or, most of what you need to know about Nuclear Power in the UK but weren’t nerdy enough to ask):

Requested Briefing Paper for COP26Coalition from RisingTideUK

With no Nuclear Power campaigners at any major UK NGO there’s a danger of the reappearance of Nuclear ambivalence, maybe particularly with 2020’s high profile defection of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) newspaper “Hour Glass” editor to pro-nuclear power propagandist lobbying.

These briefing notes aim to prevent that scenario developing and was requested in response to PM outlines his Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution for 250,000 jobs – GOV.UK and £40 million to kick start next-gen nuclear technology – GOV.UK by the Coalition’s Political Strategy Working Group.

Nuclear (National Grid average as at year ending Mar’21), accounts for 16.1% of the UK electricity supply mix, with Renewables at 40.3%, Natural Gas at 38.2%, Coal 2.7% (& “Other” also 2.7%).

So apart from:-

• taking more than a decade to build;

• no current safe or adequate waste storage solutions, even after 70 years of operation;

• a major accident every decade – Windscale (UK), 3 Mile Island (USA), Chernobyl (Soviet Union), Fukushima (Japan), Forsmark (Sweden) and in the Netherlands, France etc. etc;

• rising sea levels at all coastal sites;

• exorbitant guaranteed “strike prices” for electricity generated and prioritised over Renewables;

• continued weapons proliferation via requisite grade plutonium created in civil reactors;

• radioactive and radiation health threats causing cancers and other fatal diseases;

• potential terrorism targets;

• huge coolant water usage and warm water discharge;

• the mind-blowing monumental cost compared to the Renewables displaced:-