Representation by Genevieve Broad
- Date submitted
- 28 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Site: It will be dangerous to build a nuclear power station on a flood risk site with rising sea levels and an eroding coastline. The EA and CEFAS predict the site will be a flooded nuclear island by 2100, so huge funding would be required to protect the site. Waste: Nuclear waste will be stored on site, an unsafe strategy in the long term. Design: the US describes the design as ‘complicated with built-in risks’. Funding: In 2016 EDF had debts of 37 billion Euros. They have effectively been declared bankrupt by France’s national auditor, due to the cost of overruns on the EPRs being built in France (12 years late and 3.5 times over budget) and Finland (12 years late and 4 times over budget). The National Audit Office has called Sizewell C ‘risky and expensive’. Carbon: Sizewell C will NOT be low carbon. Its construction, operation and decommissioning will have a high carbon footprint. The mining of minerals, extraction and enrichment of uranium, production of plant, transportation, worker and support services mean that the station will not operate at carbon neutral until 15 years of operation. Tourism and Job Losses: The coasts and heaths on site are the ‘jewel in Suffolk’s tourism crown’ meaning Sizewell C construction will inflict huge job and income losses. EDF estimate 900 jobs at SZC when operational. The predicted 400 job losses is a significant underestimate. Local businesses will lose £24-£40 million p.a. and some will close. Jobs: jobs for local people during construction will be mainly low skilled and temporary. Water: Suffolk has the lowest rainfall in England. While farmers are increasingly using irrigation, SZC will need 3 million litres of fresh water a day for up to 70-80 years. This is just not available. Transport: EDF’s plans to create new roads, roundabouts and park and ride facilities ignore rail and sea transport and the devastating impact on local communities. Electricity - Renewable sources now provide the bulk of the UK’s energy needs. Planned new wind farms, plus solar power with storage and tidal power will meet any expanding future needs. Renewables are quicker and cheaper to build, safer, have lower operating costs, are easy to decommission and carry less risk. AONB: This site lies within a designated unique landscape providing habitats for a wide range of wildlife and recreation for people. There will be destruction and fragmentation of the area for new infrastructure and temporary accommodation, with noise, dust and light pollution. This will destroy species and habitats at a time when public opinion is turning towards saving them. Wildlife: Wildlife surveys show a lack of thoroughness, mainly using ‘Walkovers’ and ‘Desktop’ surveys. Some surveys are 12 years old and clearly out of date, especially for amphibians and reptiles. There is no evidence of avoidance of the massive detrimental effects on wildlife that Sizewell C will cause in a national and internationally important area for biodiversity.