Anti-nuclear campaigners have responded to news that a planning application has been submitted for the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk.
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:
“Energy Industry advocates have continued to champion nuclear power as a reliable, clean and sustainable energy source, but this could not be further from the reality.
“If this application were to be granted, the construction of Sizewell C would not only be very costly, it would also be incredibly short-sighted, dangerous and unsustainable.
“Only a limited amount of electricity would be produced for a couple of generations, however the coming hundreds of generations would have to deal with the waste produced by this, and the many other nuclear power stations. There is still no safe, long-term solution for dealing with radioactive waste, and no answer in sight. This is the problem the Energy industry and government have failed to seriously consider for decades.
“Nuclear power is not the answer to the climate catastrophe we are hurtling into, or to our energy needs.
“Spending billions on nuclear energy is indefensible when there are significantly cheaper alternatives for the consumer which are better for the environment. We need to move away from nuclear energy practices towards cleaner safer renewable technologies.
“Renewable energy sources have the potential to supply all our energy needs. With the right support and investment, rather than subsidising the nuclear industry, we could soon have enough clean energy from renewables – with the added bonus of creating many jobs.”