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The potential threat of another nuclear power station being sited on the coast of the Irish sea has come a step closer with the announcement that Npower has secured a connection to the National Grid for a possible new nuclear power station on Anglesey. The new station, if built, would be sited close to the existing facility at Wylfa.
Without a hint of irony, Npower Chief executive Andrew Duff told the BBC:
"We are serious and committed to progressing new nuclear options. Anglesey's nuclear heritage means it has great potential as a location for new nuclear build."
What Npower did not point out is that Anglesey's so called 'nuclear heritage' has been somewhat chequered. Five years ago the accident-prone Wylfa plant had to unexpectedly shut down both reactors for eighteen months, following safety concerns.
The troubled plant had also been at the centre of safety concerns 10 years earlier when in a serious nuclear incident a refuelling crane collapsed on the reactor core. A subsequent enquiry by safety regulators resulted in a quarter of a million pound fine to the plants operators.
This incident was undoubtedly the most serious safety issue to befall the UK nuclear industry since the Windscale (Sellafield) fire in the 1970s.
In 2000, after pressing United Kingdom safety regulators for several years, the Celtic League was finally given access to information that there had been no less than 30 unplanned or emergency shutdowns at the twin reactor site over the preceding decade (Subsequently similar information for other UK plants was released by the HSE).
There are mixed views on Anglesey about the possibility of a new plant. Local politicians and Unions welcome the news whilst local environmentalists have given it the thumbs down.
The Celtic League, at its AGM in Breizh in 2006, criticised the United Kingdom government for gerrymandering the planning process to allow the fast-tracking of dangerous new nuclear plants such as that now proposed for Anglesey. We hope to work with others from around the Irish sea to oppose this development.
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League 30/12/08
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