(December 22, 1989) As anticipated following the decision by the UK Government to remove nuclear reactors from privazation plans (see WISE News Communique 321.3222), the planning application for PWRs at Sizewell "C" and Wylfa "B" have been withdrawn.
(323-324.3226) WISE Amsterdam - After years of hard campaigning by anti-nuclear groups, both local and national, to demonstrate that NUCLEAR POWER IS NOT SAFE, NOT ECONOMIC, NOT NEEDED AND NOT WORTH THE RISK, the UK Central Electricity Generating Board (with a push from a reluctant government) has been forced - on financial grounds - to make the withdrawals.
However, the CEGB perversely continued with its charade of trying to obtain planning permission for a PWR at Hinkley Point. Despite the government's decision, the Hinkley "C" Inquiry was continued into December. However, the Inquiry was finally brought to a close on Friday December 1, after several false endings over the past few months. The final Inquiry report is expected to be completed by spring 1990. However, there is no compulsion on the Energy Secretary to publish a decision immediately. Whatever decision he makes may depend on the political situation at the time and what the report actually says. UK campaigners, however, expect a no to the application.
According to Professor Kemp Houck of Kansas City, Missouri, USA, the planning application withdrawals have given a kick in the pants to the American nuclear industry. "In addition to cutting off Westinghouse's biggest international tentacle," he writes to UK campaigners, "I'd expect the PWR crashdown to have set Bechtel back very substantially. All in all, perhaps a $1 billion No Sale for the US industry..."
While UK energy campaigners are jubilant over the victory, they haven't forgotten the Sizewell "B" PWR still under construction, and have turned their attention to making sure that that, too, will be scrapped.
Sources:
- Shut Down Sizewell Campaign Newsletter, Dec. 1989
- Hinkley Inquirer, 22 Nov.-1 Dec. 1989.
Contact: Shut Down Sizewell Campaign, Tudor House, St. James Street, Dunwich, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 3DU, UK
tel: (072 873) 300.