| On 9th November 2009, 10 new nuclear power | | | | Another issue is that of radioactive waste and the |
| station sites, of the 11 proposed, were approved | | | | dilemma of storage and disposal. So far in the UK, |
| by the government. | | | | there has not been a solution that pleases |
| This agenda is part of the effort to fill the ever | | | | everyone. Several ideas have been proposed, |
| approaching energy gap that is predicted by 2015 | | | | from sending it down to the deep ocean to |
| as present nuclear stations are decommissioned | | | | sealing it in geological vaults, and each has its |
| and we look to reduce the prominence of fossil | | | | inherent risks. |
| fuels. If given the final planning go-ahead, these | | | | So far, there seems to be only one site for |
| proposed sites could be producing energy by 2018 | | | | radioactive waste disposal near Drigg in Cumbria. |
| and are projected to be producing 40% of the | | | | This facility is fast filling up so the selection |
| UK's electricity needs by 2025. | | | | process for more sites is underway, with a focus |
| The proposed sites can be seen on the map | | | | on community involvement and voluntarism. |
| below and include: Bradwell in Essex; Braystones, | | | | Waste disposal sites can only be considered for |
| Kirksanton and Sellafield in Cumbria; Hartlepool and | | | | areas that are willing to provide them; a righteous |
| Heysham in Lancashire; Hinkley Point in Somerset; | | | | method indeed and a step in the right direction. |
| Oldbury in Gloucestershire; Sizewell in Suffolk; and | | | | In the mean time however, there is a worryingly |
| Wylfa in North Wales. | | | | large amount of waste in interim storage within |
| Of course, the debate as to the viability of this | | | | some power stations. Currently, a total of |
| plan is heated. Although many are concerned over | | | | 100,000 tonnes is being stored, waiting for final |
| the safety of this scheme, the majority of | | | | disposal. |
| inhabitants of the locations in question are said to | | | | With the oncoming bombardment of new nuclear |
| be feeling positive on account of the 9000 jobs | | | | facilities, the decommissioning of old ones and the |
| that will be created. | | | | growing amount stored temporarily, the |
| Safety First | | | | site-selection process must produce results soon, |
| It is generally accepted that new reactors are not | | | | as Drigg cannot possibly cope on its own. |
| only more efficient, but safer than those that | | | | All aboard the nuclear bandwagon? |
| feature in the high profile accidents such as | | | | France, one of the greatest proponents of nuclear |
| Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. Although even | | | | power, obtain 80-90% of their electricity from |
| these could be said to be less significant than | | | | this source with no disasters as of yet. Sweden |
| equivalent accidents involving fossil fuels. In the | | | | produced 45% of their electricity needs using |
| case of Chernobyl, it has been reported that the | | | | atomic energy, and Finland produced 28% in 2007. |
| reactor was not at fault, but the humans | | | | Across the pond in 2008, the USA possessed 104 |
| operating it. It has also been written that air | | | | nuclear power stations, providing 19.6% of its |
| pollution from coal-burning leads to 10,000 deaths | | | | total electricity. |
| per year, which is the equivalent of 25 meltdowns | | | | All of these countries are well ahead of the UK in |
| a year (1), a figure that is not even close to | | | | disposing waste, with nuclear reprocessing and |
| reality. So it could be argued that, relatively, | | | | deep geological waste disposal programmes |
| nuclear safety is up there with the more | | | | already ongoing. For example, waste in the United |
| traditional methods of energy production. | | | | States is disposed of 655 metres under the |
| A more important worry for the future is the | | | | Chihuahuan Desert in New Mexico. |
| unjust referral to nuclear energy as an | | | | However, this summer, EDF was forced to shut |
| environmental saviour, particularly in terms of | | | | down one third of the nuclear reactors in France |
| carbon emissions. | | | | due to adversely hot conditions. This produced an |
| With nuclear, nothing is carbon free | | | | energy crisis and electricity had to be imported |
| Several writers have referred to this technology | | | | from countries such as the UK. |
| as carbon emission free. This simply is not true. In | | | | This, along with the several (overly publicised) |
| fact, it is estimated that the process as a whole | | | | accidents that have occurred through the years, |
| produces up to 140g of CO2 per kilowatt hour | | | | the potential terror target status and the |
| (kWh) of energy produced (2). This is after taking | | | | susceptibility to natural hazards (as is the case in |
| into account the building of the power plant (a | | | | Japan), shows that, internationally, there does not |
| vast undertaking), the mining of uranium, | | | | exist a story of one big happy nuclear family. |
| transportation and processing of the ore and | | | | A stepping stone to a sustainable future? |
| eventual radioactive waste, and the dismantling of | | | | Nuclear energy in the UK will indeed be vital to fill |
| the plant. | | | | the energy gap that has been predicted, given |
| This figure is set to increase as uranium ore | | | | our commitment to reducing fossil fuel use. It is a |
| becomes more scarce (estimated to last around | | | | power source with the potential to produce a |
| 70 years), resulting in greater mining campaigns | | | | large amount of electricity with a relatively lower |
| and the use of poorer quality ore, which requires | | | | impact on the atmosphere. |
| more processing. | | | | However, there are several issues to fix and we |
| To put this in perspective, a gas powered plant | | | | must not become reliant on it. Nuclear power is |
| produces approximately 330g/kWh2. | | | | not sustainable, so the answer lies in a working |
| So it seems it will be harder to achieve climate | | | | combination with renewable energy sources, |
| targets as nuclear power develops, becoming | | | | emphasising the need to continue our efforts |
| more expensive (the current decommissioning | | | | towards the E.U's 2020 target. This will provide a |
| process will cost up to £70 billion by the | | | | platform from which we can leap into a |
| way) and unkind to the environment. | | | | renewable age once nuclear activity becomes |
| Today's waste: Tomorrow's problem | | | | obsolete. |