New nuclear rip-off ahead?

French Follies

Is the Pied Piper of nuclear power losing its power to mesmerize?

Today’s news of the collapse of the French takeover of British Nuclear sites deserves at lease two rousing cheers. Good, if it sobers up the nuclear-philliacs. Bad, if it means a poorer deal in a few months time.

Nuclear cannot deliver on time to repair the hole that is opening in our energy supply. Renewables can if we redirect our energies to new tidal, wave, solar and wind. EDF were trying to wreak new renewables initiatives in order to make nuclear appear economic. They sought a deal with the Government to put burden on renewables that would hamper delay their development.

It’s greed, not good sense that has wreaked the buy-out. Shareholders have spotted soaring energy prices and want their share of future values.

With luck a delay could be a blessing. The ‘new’ nuclear miracle is already turning to ashes in Finland. Their French designed plant is already two years late and a £1 billion over budget. Exactly the same as ‘old’ nuclear which has left the country with an £83 billion clean up bill. The realisation of how tempting a target  nuclear stations are for terrorists  is gradually dawning.

The nuclear rip-off has continued for taxpayers for the past 40 years. British energy was privatized in 1996. They were bankrupt in 2002 with £410 million in assets and £850 in debt. We, the taxpayers, bailed them out with a £450 million loan. No commercial bank would have helped.

The latest farce is a chance for Governmnet and opposition parties to come to their senses. Renewables are cheaper, cleaner and will deliver energy sooner.

Allow the nuclear nightmare to die a natural death.

Integrity

In searching for a photograph of the late Marjorie Scott for a tribute yesterday, I unearthed a photograph of Newport Council taken in 1973.

There are many familiar faces looking 35 years younger. Inevitably many have died. The insert shows, back row, Pill Councillor Ron Jones, Ken James, the late Councillor John Marsh and John Turner, Middle row, Former Councillor Glyn Cleaves, ex international swimmer ex-councillor Marian Morley, the late, greatly missed  David Morris MEP who died last year, the late Councillor Harry Herbert, Present Labour Group Leader Bob Bright, Front Row, the late Councillors Aubrey Hames and Edna Bosley.

I have fond memories of that time.

Newport Borough Council 1972-73

As the most junior member of the council I listened in awe at the talented eloquent senior members. It was a great council at a time when sleaze was emerging elsewhere in Welsh local politics.

It was to Newport Council that the Welsh Office looked for local authority leaders. Aubrey Hames, Fred Edwards and Stewart Watson were favoured for their unquestioned integrity. They could all have had distinguished careers in n ational politics if luck had been on their sides. The picture was taken shortly before the merger with Monmouthshire Council to become Gwent County Council.

Newport was the leaven in that creation.

Oh, the joys of Blogging.

On June 29th I posted a blog about the smoking ban. A success or a failure?

A letter from a group campaigning against the ban provoked it. I headed my item Freedom2Poison to counter their Freedom2Choose.

Yesterday all hell broke loo se with a stream of comments arriving from what appears to be a cult dedicated to bring back smoking into public places. They are not all nutters. I commend the post from Wolfie and the inspired counterblasts from Huw O’Sullivan.

More than 60 comments have been received. I have played a minor role in this as the debate has developed. My comment space is reserved for thinking people to debate. Most of the contributions have been thoughtful, some persuasive.

To deal with those that are not, I have installed a moron-busting widget. It spots the loudmouth vulgar time-wasters and blasts their contributions far into cyberspace.

I have keep up the standards and not clutter the site with mindless verbal pollyfilla.

Comments

[patrick]

Great photo from 1972. Is the bloke in the window really there or maybe a spectre?

[paulflynn]

Yes he is really there. He had some stick at the time and accused of ambitions above his station. Surprised you could see in tis small picyure