15th December 2005

 
I live 15 miles from Oldbury (pictured left) and have very grave concerns about  Malcolm Lynden's proposals for more nuclear plants at Oldbury (9/12/06) (i) - not just from possible accidents, weapon's proliferation or terrorism but because quite clearly nuclear is not the answer.

Mr Lynden claims Oldbury has been a 'good neighbour', but this ignores the cancer clusters that scientists have attributed to the power station and the future threat of rising sea-levels.

Mr Lynden claims new reactors 'will not have a significant effect on waste volumes', yet the industry's figures show reduced low level waste but a 300% increase in the most radioactive waste - so we will continue to build a costly toxic legacy for future generations.

Mr Lynden claims nuclear will help with climate change but while nuclear produces 20% of our electricity, it only accounts for 5% of our overall energy. So unless massively expanded, nuclear would prevent around 3% increase in emissions through 2020 and this is dwarfed by projected increase in vehicle emissions in the same period.

Mr Lynden claims nuclear is popular. Yet it is only the barrage of misleading information that has led to a shift in public opinion and despite this a BBC poll last week found 72% against new nuclear build.

Mr Lynden avoided economics: perhaps because the way the nuclear industry calculate their energy costs is a complete fudge. They ignore the lessons of past experience and exclude future costs such as decommissioning and long term waste management. Plus don't include hidden subsidies like the fact that the industry is not adequately insured - commercial insurance judges the risks as too great, so the government is left to underwrite any accidents.

We do not have to accept Blair bulldozing through nuclear like he did over Iraq. A clean, safe Green future is entirely possible and a much more just way to meet the world's energy needs - or perhaps Mr Lynden will be advocating nuclear reactors in Zimbabwe, Sudan and elsewhere?

Philip Booth, Press Officer, Gloucestershire Green Party.

Notes:

(i) Thornbury Gazette, Front page 9, December 2005
Letter to Prime Minister
Call to back nuclear by Jeff Weaver

THE leader of an independent watchdog body set up to monitor Oldbury nuclear power station has written to Prime Minister Tony Blair calling for a new atom plant on the Severnside site and says he has the people of South Gloucestershire behind him.
Malcolm Lynden, chairman of the Oldbury Site Stakeholders Group, says there is overwhelming local demand for the replacement of Oldbury’s nuclear reactors when they shut down in 2008 after 40 years of power generation.

In an open letter to Downing Street “from residents of South Gloucestershire”, Mr Lynden says the power station has been good for the community and people don’t want to lose it.

He says a new station will help arrest global warming and appeals for plans to be drawn up without delay.

“Please start NOW planning a new generation nuclear power station at Oldbury so that it can be built while the old one is being decommissioned, thus minimising the disruption,” writes Mr Lynden. Signing the letter “on behalf of the vast majority of local residents who support New Nuclear Power”.

Mr Lynden, an Oldbury parish councillor, told the Gazette: “There may be a few on the site stakeholders group who don’t agree with the sentiments - but not that many I’m sure.

“I live in Oldbury so I know very well what the feeling is there. Everywhere I go in this area, especially round the villages, I hardly ever meet anyone with a bad word to say about Oldbury nuclear power station. It has been a very good neighbour and is very popular.

“I decided the time was right to inform the Prime Minister of the overwhelming support that exists in this area for the nuclear plant at Oldbury and the need to get things moving now”

Oldbury’s Site Stakeholders Group is a public representation and monitoring body set up by the Government-backed Nuclear Decommissioning Authority which took over responsibility for nuclear power stations on April 1 this year. Mr Lynden was appointed the group’s interim chairman.

Mr Lynden’s views have certainly not won support in all quarters, however.

Fellow stakeholders group member Alan Pinder - also a member of South Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth - said: “I have no objection to him writing as an individual as long as he does not claim to be representing the stakeholders group or, come to that, the people of South Gloucestershire.

“Anyway he is talking out of his hat. A while ago we did a survey in Thornbury and about 70 percent of people balloted were against a new power station at Oldbury. It might not have been very scientific but it was a lot more valid than going round and asking your friends what they think. Mr Lynden thinks the world is on his side just because a few of friends agree with him.”