My summary with Porritt's quotes from his blog -http://www.jonathonporritt.com/sizewell-c-just-the-latest-nuclear-scam/
The nuclear alternatives are more sensible, a lot cheaper and can address the problem much more quickly.
HMG is responding to their own climate emergency and the energy/cost of living crisis - the uncomfortable NOW - by ordering nuclear power stations that take a decade or two to come on stream!
Only foreign companies like the French EDF have the know-how. Yet, they are in financial straits but, almost wholly owned by the French government.
EDF is not known to build anything on time or on budget. Half of France's nuclear reactors are closed: "31 reactors closed – out of a total of 56." It will cost them 20 bn euros in lost revenue when EDF is already in debt.
Nuclear is the most expensive way in the world to generate electricity.
Hinkley Point (EDF) is way over budget and delayed. Cost is now £26 bn, with more cost hikes becoming inevitable. HMG's new idea (financing scam): Pay Up Front and Pay Again Later for what will still be very expensive elecy.
All our billions should be going to insulate our leaky houses and to build very low energy demanding homes for very minimum energy bills. Invest in reducing demand and creating the green economy.
Net zero electricity is impossible with nuclear elecy when GHG emissions are so massive through the long years, even decades, in building the energy-intensive concrete and steel power station!
Instead, double down on offshore wind and resurrect onshore wind because "it’s by far and away the cheapest source of electricity, between a quarter and a third of the cost of nuclear"
Improving the energy efficiency of people's homes is seriously lagging behind what the govt is doing. For example, David Cameron got rid of 'all the green crap'. This was "compounded subsequently by both Theresa May and Boris Johnson writing off energy efficiency and retrofits as irrelevant to the Government’s purpose."
Why is the successful retrofitting ECO scheme paused?
Committee on Climate Change reported this year: ‘its (govt) shocking gap in policy for better insulated homes.’
" ... a £19bn commitment to improve the UK’s appalling housing stock was actually part of the 2019 Tory Manifesto. And if there was one thing that might save their rancid bacon in Red Wall seats, it would surely be to follow through on that commitment."
We must have full investment in a full-on Green New Deal.
The nuclear billions must go on retrofitting and boosting wind and PV solar on rooves.
Going for nuclear elecy is inextricably linked to nuclear weapons. The one depends on the other - in skills and supply chains.
French President said, 'Without civilian nuclear, no military nuclear; without military nuclear, no civilian nuclear.’
Tim Weller 1 September 2022
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