Income and not safety is driving UK energy policy which has determined a extension of the operating life of Wylfa nuclear power plant. That is the clear message in correspondence from Minister of State at the DECC, Charles Hendry MP, in response to concerns expressed by the Celtic League over the decision to extend the operational life of the accident prone plant.
The full text of the DECC response is set out below:
“8th November 2010
Thank you for your letter dated 13 October to Chris Huhne, about the lifetime extension of the Wylfa nuclear plant. I am replying as this matter falls within my portfolio.
Lifetime extensions are an operational matter for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and its site licence companies (Magnox North in the case of Wylfa). Extended generation has to be approved by the Regulators and is subject to the site continuing to meet rigorous operational and safety standards.
The Government is not involved in lifetime extensions but does welcome the news of extending generation of low-carbon electricity at Wylfa for a further two years. The additional income it generates will make a significant contribution to meeting the costs of decommissioning other legacy sites.”
Related article on Celtic News at:
https://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/3518
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
14/11/10