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Geological
Disposal opens the door to a new generation of nuclear power stations.
“I now hope that a Hunterston C will be proposed by
the industry for development”
said MSP Allan Wilson.
A joint decision by the
Scottish Executive and the UK Government to back long term geological
disposal of nuclear waste leaves the way open for the future development of
Hunterston says local Labour MSP Allan Wilson.
“Government acceptance of the independent committee on radioactive waste
management (CoRWM) that waste from the nuclear and medical industries be
disposed of long term through geological disposal opens the door to a new
generation of nuclear power stations and I now hope that a Hunterston C will
be proposed by the industry for development” said Mr Wilson.
“Government will now consider how potential sites will be identified for
deep disposal with Sellafield in Cumbria the most likely candidate.
Importantly, this process will be done in partnership with local communities
and waste will not be imposed on them by central Government”.
“In Scotland Environment Minister Ross Finnie has written to all local
authority leaders to help inform a framework for consultation next year”.
“As the CoRWM report observes, geological disposal is the approach being
adopted in many countries including Belgium, France, Finland, Germany,
Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.S.” “This decision brings the UK into
line with accepted international practice on radioactive waste management”.
“A presumption against development has existed because the optimum means of
future waste management had not been determined but any application for new
build would require to be considered on its merits”.
“Hunterston B makes a valuable contribution to the local economy directly
employing several hundred in well-paid jobs and indirectly supporting
hundreds of other jobs in the local economy. It also makes a substantial
contribution to securing Scotland’s energy supply and through the carbon
free generation of electricity assists in reducing CO2 emissions, the
primary cause of climate change and global warming”.
"For these reasons and to keep electricity affordable, particularly for
those
in fuel poverty, a replacement power station at Hunterston should be
considered' said Mr Wilson.
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