Republican News · Thursday 27 February 2002

Morgan calls for renewed campaign to shut Sellafield

BY ROBBIE SMYTH

Maybe not a u-turn but the brakes have clearly been applied on the nuclear industry in Britain this week. The publication of the British government's White Paper on Energy failed to include the ringing endorsement sought by some within Blair's cabinet and the opposition Conservative Party for the nuclear power option.

The Energy review also opens a new window of opportunity for the Dublin government to show leadership and political resolve by campaigning on every front for the shutting down of Sellafield and for the running down of the whole nuclear power industry.

Sinn Féin's Arthur Morgan, who made a written submission to Tony Blair outlining a range of proposals on the review, has called on Bertie Ahern to now intensify his government's efforts to shut Sellafield.

Speaking to An Phoblacht, Morgan said: "Though the report is weak on its support for renewable energy resources and is unclear on actually how it will achieve a 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions, it is far removed from endorsing the proposal for 50 new nuclear power stations floated by New Labour Energy Minister Brian Wilson in July 2001."

The conclusion to the report states that "current economics make it an unattractive option for new, carbon free generating capacity. There are also important issues of waste to be resolved".

Morgan interprets this finding in a positive light. He says that "the failure to give an endorsement for renewed investment in nuclear power was a positive outcome, though the 10% target for use of renewable energy by 2010 was very weak, especially as 25% of current British electricity production is generated by nuclear power".

Morgan called on the Dublin government to use the opportunity and space created by the White Paper's publication as a spur "to redouble our lobbying, legal initiatives and campaigning against Sellafield and Britain's dirty nuclear industry".

One of the other positive outcomes of the report was that it makes reference to the issue of stockpiled nuclear waste, called "legacy waste" in the review. This legacy waste includes 10,000 tonnes of solid nuclear waste, most of which is currently stored at Sellafield.

Morgan also pointed to a pulling back on proposals to build new power stations on "existing nuclear site such as Dounreay and Sellafield". He said: "This crazy idea has for now been knocked on the head but only a concerted campaign will ensure it is completely dead in the water."

Though the Energy Review recognises that nuclear power generation is not economically viable in current market conditions, it doesn't address the question of when it was ever economically viable. British Nuclear Fuels lost £3.6 billion last year, its third year of losses. British Energy is also in the red. Added to this is a waste disposal bill of at least £34 billion for decommissioning the Magnox reactors and it is clear that the industry was never economically viable.

Phoblacht asked Morgan about his submission to Blair on the Energy Review and last January's meeting in Downing Street where, as part of a Sinn Féin delegation on the peace process, he also raised the issue of Sellafield and the British nuclear industry.

Morgan said: "I wrote to Tony Blair regarding the Energy Review, and also discussed with him the need to invest in renewable power technology. Sinn Féin also proposed that the two governments consider a joint wind and/or wave project for power generation to tap our shared unique resources in the area of renewable energy."

"It was clear from our meeting that he himself was uneasy with supporting the nuclear option. His proposal this week for more radical targets on cutting greenhouse gas emissions is welcome but he must be more clear cut about how he actually will do this."