Open letter: No valid justification for subsidising nuclear power

Oldbury viewed from Forest of Dean

Philip Booth writes: Électricité de France and the UK government are aiming to build a new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in south-west England. If this goes ahead it brings forward the likelihood of three new reactors planned for Oldbury going ahead.

This nuclear project depends heavily on subsidies and is unlikely to go ahead without them. But there is no valid justification for these subsidies. They divert resources away from other options that are altogether better and cheaper. For reasons given in the Open Letter which I have just signed (see www.energyfair.org.uk/home/open-letter ), they are bad for energy security, bad for the fight against climate change, bad financially for consumers and taxpayers in the UK, and bad for the development, throughout Europe, of the good alternatives which are ready to go, cheaper than nuclear power, and very much quicker to build.

If you are reading this blog and would also like to endorse the open letter follow the link below - we urgently need an investigation into the project.

Dear Commissioner Almunia,

No valid justification for subsidising nuclear power

In connection with the proposed new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in south-west England (reut.rs/1fPaYlx), I'm writing to ask you to open a formal investigation into this project and associated subsidies. I endorse the open letter to you about this from Energy Fair on www.energyfair.org.uk/home/open-letter. In particular, I agree that there is no valid justification for subsidising nuclear power.

Sincerely, Cllr Philip Booth (Green Party)