After nearly 50 years’ experience in Britain of safe nuclear generation of electricity, we know that nuclear power can provide long term security for the nation. Security of supply is the fundamental case for nuclear as a safe, reliable, clean and economic source of electricity.
We also know that expectations of the energy to be derived from renewable sources – wind, waves, tides, solar etc – look ever more optimistic. So, too, do the savings to be secured from energy conservation and greater efficiency in its use.
Nuclear is crucial to meeting increasing demand for power and the exceptionally challenging, if not impossible, targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to which the nation has committed itself. Nuclear emits next to no greenhouse gases, even taking everything from mining uranium to decommissioning and waste management into account, and when it was generating up to a third of the nation’s electricity it was avoiding the production of well over 50m tones of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year.
Unfortunately, because of official procrastination, nuclear is steadily contributing less to the nation’s power supply as its Magnox and AGR stations close on grounds of age. Its share of the market is now down to 12.5-15 per cent and falling and, unless nuclear power stations are replaced, will have fallen to about three per cent in little more than 10 years.
The Government, like its recent predecessors, is committed to their replacement and some 10 sites, mostly next to existing nuclear plants, have been identified for them. This policy has extensive backing from a large number of professional organisation who are seriously concerned about the adequacy of power supplies over the coming decade as old coal as well as nuclear power stations close and the security of our economic base through an over-reliance on imported gas.
SONE is dedicated to helping with nuclear’s much needed renaissance in the UK as well as across the world.
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We invite you to join us in promoting such a debate because the national interest requires a substantial nuclear contribution to an environmentally acceptable mix of energy supplies. Without secure energy supplies when they are needed, we cannot maintain our people in work, our prosperity or lifestyle or generate the resources needed to protect our environment.