Local consultations on a third nuclear power station at Heysham will take place later this month, after the Government announced Heysham is considered to be potentially suitable for a new nuclear power station, even though the site is on a fault line, a point which has been studiously ignored by the pro-nuclear lobby.
A local exhibition giving information about the draft Nuclear National Policy Statement and the assessment of Heysham will be held at Lancaster Town Hall from 26th – 28th November 2009. A public discussion will also be held on the morning of Saturday 28th November at the same location.
The Government is consulting on its draft Nuclear National Policy Statement and list of sites, including Heysham, around the country that might be suitable for new nuclear power stations and claims – despite wanting to rush the new builds through by bending planning laws – that it would like to hear the public’s views.
The draft Nuclear National Policy Statement explains how sites are assessed, why the Government believes Britain need new nuclear power and the Government’s policy on managing radioactive waste safely.
(The Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency are currently assessing two new power station designs: the UK-EPR designed by Areva and EDF, and the AP1000 designed by Westinghouse. More info here).
Response to the consultation will help set the framework for planning decisions on new nuclear power stations.
The pro nuclear lobby is convinced that the public is now more in favour of replacing existing nuclear power stations with new ones, to keep the same proportion of nuclear energy as a means to combat climate change. They are also playing the jobs card, pushing the building of new power stations as a means of reducing local unemployment.
To take part in consultation you can visit the local exhibition and record your comments; take part in this public discussion; respond to the consultation online, by post or at events; and read the documents at www.energynpsconsultation.decc.gov.uk
• Visit www.nuclear-nps-events.info for further information on location and timings and to register for the public session. Alternatively if you wish to register for the public session by telephone please contact 0845 004 8841.