FINNISH EXPERIENCE SHOWS FOLLY OF NUCLEAR AMBITIONS

As the UK government prepares to announce plans to press ahead with a new generation of nuclear power stations early in the New Year, Mike Weir MP, SNP Energy Spokesperson at Westminster, has pointed out that the delays and cost overruns at the Finnish Olkiluoto nuclear power station shows the folly of the government’s nuclear ambition.

The Finnish station has now run massively over budget and the opening date has been pushed back two years, until at least 2011.

Mr Weir said:

“The Finnish station is often cited as an example for the UK, yet it is now massively over budget and completion is steadily slipping back. This eloquently demonstrates the folly of the UK government’s nuclear ambitions.

“There is already no legal barrier for generators in the UK to build new nuclear power stations, yet they do not do so because the economics of nuclear power, let alone the safety concerns, do not add up. Nuclear power will not be commercially viable in the UK without massive government subsidies, either direct or hidden.

“The UK has still to make a decision on the storage of existing nuclear waste, the cost of which is now also steadily escalating, let alone how to deal with a new generation of waste.

“The last generation of nuclear power stations were far too expensive and created huge problems with waste. These serious problems still remain.

“The SNP Scottish Government have made it abundantly clear that new nuclear power stations will not be allowed in Scotland.The UK government should adopt a New Year resolution and follow that lead. They should concentrate on creating a green energy future rather than the danger, cost and worry of new nuclear stations.”