The British government yesterday approved a new generation of nuclear power stations, describing the move as "compelling" but infuriating environmentalists who are considering a legal challenge.
The new stations are expected to be built with private sector help to ensure the future security of supplies and a balanced energy "mix," amid mounting global concern over long-term oil and gas provision and cost.
"Set against the challenges of climate change and security of supply, the evidence in support of new nuclear power stations is compelling," Business Secretary John Hutton told parliament in a widely expected announcement.
The move, applauded by unions and business leaders, follows calls from the pro-nuclear lobby for an early decision. Most of the 19 reactors at Britain's 10 existing nuclear power stations will close by 2023.
The plants provide 19 percent of Britain's electricity.
But opponents, with strong concerns over waste and safety, question whether atomic energy can help cut carbon emissions and want greater clarity on costs, plus assurances that consumers will not have to pay for eventual decommissioning.
Greenpeace last year won a legal challenge after complaining the government's consultation process was flawed. The group said it was closely studying the re-ordered consultation and had not ruled out fresh action.
The group Friends of the Earth, Britain's third-largest party the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party all want more emphasis on sustainable or renewable energy such as wind, wave and tidal power.
According to government figures, 5 percent of Britain's electricity came from sustainable sources in 2006. The government proposes to increase that to 15 percent by 2015.
Greenpeace executive director John Sauven described yesterday's announcement as "bad news."
"Nuclear power can only deliver a 4 percent cut in emissions some time after 2025, and that's too little too late at too high a price," he said. "We need energy efficiency, cleaner use of fossil fuels, renewables and state of the art decentralized power stations like those in Scandinavia. That's the way to defeat climate change and ensure energy security."
Hutton sought to address those concerns, saying nuclear power had been a "tried and tested, safe and secure form of low-carbon technology" for more than 50 years, and was more efficient and cost-effective than coal-fired stations.
Safety would be the top priority, but he said it would be wrong to set a target for the amount of electricity to be produced by nuclear or any other form of low-carbon energy.
New plants were likely to be built on or near existing sites, he added, but failed to specify an exact number. Recent media reports here have suggested Brown is in favor of 10 new reactors.
He also made no mention of cost. The Guardian newspaper last July said six reactors could cost as much as US$24 billion for six plants.
Hutton said the costs for developing, building, operating the new plants -- which he hoped could be running by 2020 -- and disposing of nuclear waste would be met by energy companies, not the taxpayer.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
NO EXCUSES: Marcos said his administration was acting on voters’ demands, but an academic said the move was emotionally motivated after a poor midterm showing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday sought the resignation of all his Cabinet secretaries, in a move seen as an attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term. The order came after the president’s allies failed to win a majority of Senate seats contested in the 12 polls on Monday last week, leaving Marcos facing a divided political and legislative landscape that could thwart his attempts to have an ally succeed him in 2028. “He’s talking to the people, trying to salvage whatever political capital he has left. I think it’s
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
UNSCHEDULED VISIT: ‘It’s a very bulky new neighbor, but it will soon go away,’ said Johan Helberg of the 135m container ship that run aground near his house A man in Norway awoke early on Thursday to discover a huge container ship had run aground a stone’s throw from his fjord-side house — and he had slept through the commotion. For an as-yet unknown reason, the 135m NCL Salten sailed up onto shore just meters from Johan Helberg’s house in a fjord near Trondheim in central Norway. Helberg only discovered the unexpected visitor when a panicked neighbor who had rung his doorbell repeatedly to no avail gave up and called him on the phone. “The doorbell rang at a time of day when I don’t like to open,” Helberg told television
RSS