Representation by Thorp Family
- Date submitted
- 30 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
We are registering as Mr & Mrs Thorp as residents of Sizewell. Whilst we have both been supporters of nuclear energy, we wish to oppose the building of Sizewell C for the following reasons. 1. Roads and Transport The Road system is quite unsuitable and inadequate for a massive project such as Sizewell C. The A12 needs to have a dual carriageway from Ipswich to Lowestoft. For this reason alone, Sizewell C should not be built. 2. Cost Even if by some miracle Sizewell C is built on time, the cost is still absolutely Jaw Dropping, resulting in probably the most expensive electricity in the world. Windmills and other renewables are producing electricity at a fraction of the cost compared with what Sizewell C would want. It is unlikely to be built within budget and on time if the construction of EDF projects in Finland and Normandy are any sort of indication. Another reason why Sizewell C should not be built. 3. Global Warming and Rise in the sea heights 4. With China still building coal fired power stations (at one time, one per week were being commissioned), it is doubtful if pollution and an increase in temperatures are going to be controlled any time soon. It is therefore exceedingly difficult to judge what the increase in sea levels will be and it could result in Sizewell Power Station becoming an Island as a number of experts and some government agencies have suggested. 5. De-Commissioning Costs We have not seen any figures or costs involving the expenditure of the de-commissioning of the present sites, but it must be tens of millions of pounds. With the rest of the old nuclear power stations due to be closed in the next few years it will undoubtably increase the de-commissioning costs to hundreds of millions per year. At present the British Government is funding the de-commissioning costs and so in reality, the poor old British Taxpayer is paying for his electricity twice. The building of Sizewell C should only go ahead if EDF pays a cd-commissioning tax for it and the old nuclear power stations now being de-commissioned. 6. Hinkley Point Construction/Tourism Whilst we have not been to Hinkley Point we have a friend with a business in Exeter and who travels throughout the south west UK. He tells us that the traffic, dust, and noise etc. is horrendous and almost everyone avoids it like the plague. This can only result in the devastation of the tourist industry in this area and one of the most important areas of income. Any income from the Sizewell C Construction will not make up for the loss. Finally, we believe the whole Sizewell C project should be closed down. If the Government and EDF or other companies want nuclear power, then the modular plants such as Rolls Royce are designing should be built hopefully at a more realistic cost. The Rolls Royce nulear modular plants would probably be producing electricity long before the present plan for Sizewell C. David & Sylvia Thorp [Redacted]