Representation by PAWB, Pobl Atal Wylfa B/People Against Wylfa B (PAWB, Pobl Atal Wylfa B/People Against Wylfa B)
- Date submitted
- 23 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
EdF's planning application for building two huge EPR reactors at Sizewell is totally misguided. The National Policy Statement in favour of building new nuclear power stations is now hopelessly outdated and almost a decade old. The economics of nuclear power have become even more unattractive since then. The other side of the coin is that various renewable technologies are beating nuclear power clearly on cost. Almost a year ago, it was announced that four proposed off shore wind farms in the North Sea were quoting prices on electricity they would generate in the £40 to £50 range per megawatt/hour. Compare this to the ridiculously expensive deal agreed between the Conservative government and EdF for EPRs at Hinkley Point C of £92.50 per megawatt/hour, index linked to infalion for 35 years. The cost of electricity from Sizewell C EPRs would be similarly expensive. The history of developing EPRs doesn't make happy reading for EdF. Both the Olkiluoto and the Flamenville projects are wildly over budget and schedule. Construction started at Olkiluoto in Finland in 2005 with the empty boast that work wolud be completed by 2009. These reactors are still not in operation. Similar delays and cost overruns have blighted the Flamenville project in Normandy. The Planning Inspectorate should pay particular attention to the geographical low lying nature of the coastal site at Sizewell. Building these monster reactors here is asking for trouble in the context of the prospect of rising sea levels. EPRs would produce high burn-up radioactive waste that would have to be stored on site for at least 150 years. That waste would be doubly hot and radioactive compared to legacy nuclerar wastes. Sea water breaching the site and entering waste storage facilities for this high burn-up waste would be catastrophic. We learn from our fellow campaigners in Together Against Sizewell C that a significant area of land would be trashed including a well known woodland to make way for Sizewell C. We also share their concern about adverse impacts on wild life and birds in particular. This resonates with our concerns about the large tern colony we have at Cemlyn that would have been impacted seriously by plans to build 2 new ABWR reactors at Wylfa. This particular area of Suffolk doesn't deserve the extensive heavy construction traffic that would come with construction and all the air, dust, sound and light pollution associated with it. The tourism sector in the area could be hit badly by the presence of such a gigantic project. With the economy reeling following months of COVID-19 and with months of restrictions ahead of us, the last thing needed now is squandering money, much of it from long suffering taxpayers, on such an unneccesary, extortionately expensive, dirty and dangerous vanity project. The European Union has clearly stated its intention to rebuild green without nuclear power to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. It is high time for the British State to follow suit.