Published: Wednesday, 8th October, 2008 12:30
'No clean coal station for Largs area'
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Clean Coal technology is still in its infancy, but clean as it may be, it is certainly not pretty. The last thing we need next to Largs is a massive coal-fired power station looming over Fairlie with stockpiles of coal visible from Millport and any boat sailing off the North Coast.
Nuclear has operated safely, efficiently and relatively unobtrusively at Hunterston for decades, and any new ‘C’ station would blend in well at the existing site – retaining well-paid jobs without damaging our vital tourist industry.
I organised a meeting in Renfrew to highlight the twin issues of nuclear energy and the threat posed by windfarms to Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. Despite promising to invest in new nuclear, the Labour Government have dithered and delayed on energy policy, while the SNP are “playing the petty politics of separatism by opposing replacement stations in Scotland for political ends.
Although nuclear energy is not a devolved issue, the SNP plan to use local planning laws to block any Westminster plans for replacement reactors at Hunterston and Torness.
At the meeting, which saw the launch of The Freedom Association’s Scottish Branch, I highlighted ‘The Fells Report’, published earlier that week, which claims the UK will experience prolonged power cuts in about five years unless urgent action is taken now.
Professor Fells confirms that the UK is facing the multiple problems of ageing nuclear power plants, the premature closure of coal-fired stations due to the 2008 EU Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD), and an under-performing renewables sector, all of which will make us increasingly dependent on gas imports from unstable political regimes, and subject to volatile global markets.
I have established ongoing discussions with British Energy and Renfrew–based Doosan Babcock, and explained that only five companies worldwide are capable of constructing nuclear power stations and, at the moment, only two companies are capable of making the huge steel forgings needed. There are long waiting lists as countries around the world move down the nuclear route and join the queue for new stations, however, Doosan Babcock stands ready to fill the void and build locally at Renfrew.
Scotland’s national interest demands concerted action to keep the lights on, not political point-scoring. Alex Salmond needs to accept the reality that we need nuclear and give all possible support to British Energy, Doosan Babcock and other engineering companies in Scotland to grasp the opportunities available.
A successful bid for a fleet of new nuclear reactors would not only benefit Hunterston and North Ayrshire, but see large-scale manufacturing return to Renfrew once more, creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs.
Renewable’ electricity currently contributes only 4.5% of the total electricity supply and it would take 1,680 new 2MW turbines just to replace Hunterston’s current output alone. Covering Muirshiel with 300 turbines will do little for our energy supply or the tourist industry. I will continue to help fight for a ban on any windfarms in the Park.
Philip Lardner,
Prospective Conservative candidate, North Ayrshire and Arran
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