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MORE TROUBLE AT NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS |
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The Gloucestershire Green Party called for the permanent closure of
nuclear power stations following yet another incident at Hinkley Point
B leading to the shut-down of one of its reactors (i). Hinkley Point is
sited further down the Severn from Oldbury, Gloucestershires local
nuclear power station.
Philip Booth, Gloucestershire Green Party spokesperson said; "This news
comes after almost one shut-down a month over the last two years and
£15.5 millions worth of work on the Hinkley Point plant. Each time the
plant is shut down local people are given an extra dose of radiation
from the vented coolant gases. British Energy has admitted its ageing
plants are fragile and “inherently unreliable” and running at less than
80 per cent efficiency due to frequent breakdowns. In December the
nuclear company showed losses of £90 million in the previous six
months. Surely it is time to see sense and put the nuclear dinosaur out
of its misery? How much more taxpayers money will be used to bail it
out (ii)?"
Notes:
(i) this time it was a "technical setback" shut down one of the two
reactors at the ageing plant. Guardian 13th Jan 04 - BE hit by further
plant closure
(ii) Hinkley ‘B’ owners, British Energy were rescued from bankruptcy at
the eleventh hour earlier this month. Shareholders lost a battle with
bond-holders, winning a tiny percentage of BE’s assets. The Government
will take 65% of future profits from the company in exchange for
decommissioning their plants at an estimated cost of £4 billion. The
rescue package may come undone if the European Commission deems it
unlawful in its report due this summer. The EC threat has already
forced BE to repay interest on deferred local business rates around the
country following revelations by a Green Party councillor and action by
Green MEPs.
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