TAKING PART IN THE NUCLEAR CONVERSATION
Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales
Date: Monday 19th May 2008 - for immediate release
Plaid Cymru, The Party of Wales, Westminster Parliamentary Candidate for Monmouth Constituency, Jonathan T Clark has called on the Plaid driven One Wales Government to make sure that that any discussions about the sitting of any new generation of Nuclear power plants within and near to Wales take place with the full involvement of the people of Wales and their elected representatives and that alternative energy generation schemes are fully and seriously considered.
Jonathan T Clark said:
“While the Scottish parliament and the Scottish people will be full participants in the process of deciding how and where any nuclear power stations may be sited in Scotland, in Wales, the Welsh people and their elected representatives may well end up as impotent onlookers in any discussions as long as Westminster dictates Wales’s energy strategy. New Labour’s consistent refusal to devolve control of planning consent for 50MW power generation projects to the National Assembly damages our economic prospects for only with complete planning control over power generation can Wales generate long–term sustainable job opportunities”.
Jonathan continued:
“As far as New Labour is concerned, clearly the lights are on but nobody is at home and there are no new fresh ideas about solving our energy problems. Gordon Brown’s cabinet’s confirmation of Tony Blair’s decision to back the nuclear option to solve the UK energy needs was both disappointing and short-sighted, but, was not unexpected. By making nuclear power its priority this failing Brown Government has effectively abandoned any serious attempts to conserve energy, and has significantly undermined its own commitments to tackling climate change”.
Jonathan concluded:
“When it comes to power generation there are real job opportunities here that need to be fully grasped; the renewable energy sector should play an immensely important role in creating more green energy jobs. We need to create a decentralised power generation system which will create sustainable long-term jobs for local people, not damage the environment and contribute to providing our local communities with a long-term viable economic energy future. Now is definitely the time for control of energy policy to be devolved to the National Assembly and time for some original non nuclear thinking and a fundamental sea change in attitude from all levels of government in Wales towards energy policy.”
Diwedd / Ends
Notes to Editors
Department of Trade and Industry (originally released Wednesday 23rd May 2007)
Energy White Paper Supporting Documents
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fulldetail.asp?NewsAreaID=360&ReleaseID=286370
JACKSON CONSULTING DISCUSSION PAPER
This discussion paper, produced in April 2006, reviewed previous policy and practices for sitting of nuclear power stations and considered sitting issues that would be relevant to any new nuclear build.
SUGGESTED NUCLEAR SITES:
1. Hinkley Point
2. Sizewell
3. Bradwell
4. Dungeness
5. Hunterston
6. Hartlepool
7. Torness
8. Wylfa
9. Heysham
10. Calder Hall
11. Oldbury
12. Chapelcross
13. Berkeley
14. Trawsfynydd
Source: Jackson Consulting report, April 2006
UK Government Energy White Paper (originally released in May 2007)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/23_05_07_energy.pdf
Press release Monmouth / Mynwy No: 045 19/05/2008
Published and promoted by and on behalf of Jonathan T Clark, Parliamentary candidate for Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales for Monmouth Constituency
Published by Huw Evans, Llanelen, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
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