Energy executive admits 'nuclear not safe'

2009-04-15
With UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband set to deliver a speech promoting nuclear energy on a visit to Hunterston tomorrow, SNP Westminster Energy spokesperson Mike Weir MP has seized on an admission of the dangers of nuclear power by a senior British Nuclear Fuels Ltd executive.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, David Bonser said … "the Government have decided to go ahead with nuclear power here in the UK. Now, of course, there’s lots of risks around that…"

Mr Weir said:

"David Bonser’s assessment underlines exactly why Scotland is right to reject the development of dangerous, unnecessary and costly new nuclear power stations.

"Nuclear is unreliable as well as unnecessary. Installed capacity of renewables in Scotland already exceeds installed capacity of nuclear power. We can achieve secure, clean, low carbon energy by harnessing Scotland's vast green potential, tackling climate change without adding to the burden of toxic radioactive waste.

"The risks and uncertainties of nuclear power, in terms of waste disposal, decommissioning, security and health concerns, or cost, are far too great.

"Without nuclear power, Scotland has the natural resources to generate clean, green power. Harnessing that potential can meet our future energy demands several times over, while tackling climate change.

"There is more than enough green and renewable potential in Scotland to provide a diverse, low carbon electricity supply, so the argument that we need nuclear is totally redundant.

"Ed Miliband is wasting his breath on his nuclear lecture tour, and he should recognise that the Scottish Government has made clear that it will not allow unwanted and unnecessary new nuclear stations in our country."

Note:

1. Transcript from BBC Today Programme:

DAVID BONSER: "the Government have decided to go ahead with nuclear power here in the UK. Now, of course, there’s lots of risks around that, and what we will be doing, together with the Government, through the planning permissions and so on, is to make sure that new designs are designed properly to deal with all sorts of hazards, including the potential risk of sea level rises.

2. Bonser Biography:

David Bonser has spent his career with British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) since 1971 in design, construction, commissioning and operations, working in both the enrichment and reprocessing businesses. He has been Director of BNFL's Thorp Division, Company Development Director, and Director of Engineering, Waste Management and Decommissioning. He was appointed to BNFL's board of directors in October 1999. In 2000 he was appointed Transformation Director, in which post he is working to transform BNFL to position the company for a future "Public-Private Partnership" (the UK government's initiative to introduce private sector finance into public sector enterprises). He has also retained responsibility for BNFL's engineering functions

http://www.snp.org/node/15137