The UK Government are being reported to the European Commission for potentially unlawful subsidies to the Nuclear Industry. The investigation which will take at least 18 months to resolve, will open up the many scams taking place in order to make Nuclear energy look more affordable.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16646405
The main fiddle is based on the capping limit to what a company would face in terms of compensation, if one of their plants went belly up, so to speak. If one was feeling cynical, one may ask if these new stations are so safe, why are the insurance premiums for an accident so high?
Sadly, I also predict that the investigation is likely to lead to nothing, as the vested interests are just too powerful. The decision has already been made for a new generation of nuclear stations and nothing short of a dreadful accident much closer to home will change that. I am respectful of environmentalists who argue that new nuclear can reduce our CO2 although I am not yet convinced. What I find deeply frustrating is the inability of politicians to deal with the chronic waste of energy across Wales and the UK. We have an outdated distribution network and some of our housing stock has appalling energy efficiency standards. Why oh why can't we be more pro-active with energy efficiency? Think what we could do with £32 billion instead of HS2? I am genuinely frightened by the current economic crisis masking the environmental disaster we face unless we act far more swiftly in dealing with global warming.
So in conclusion, Nuclear is subsidised but this will not stop a new generation of stations and while the argument continues over whether nuclear contributes to reducing CO2 production, without serious conservation-it will make little difference. Someone needs to make energy conservation a 'sexy' political issue, so over to the Plaid leadership candidates!
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