The Nuke Guy

Hi everyone,

Had a pretty good response from the carbon post and I am glad so many decided to visit the link to learn more!  The text of the post has even ended up on an anti nuke site from Oldbury (click here).  Glad to see all sides interested in the facts on this one because, as I said, the decision to build new nuclear will be an economic one, not based on out of date, polarised 20th Century views of what nuclear is or could be.

On the subject of “anti” versus “pro” nuclear I would be interested in your comments and views on the subject.  I love both sides but I am very obviously “pro”.   However, I am absolutely firm on the need to do things right when it comes to nuclear.  No ‘corner cutting’, no ‘average employee’, no ’secrecy’ or ‘conflicting priorities’ when it comes to safety.  When you have done nuclear for as long as I have you realise that nuclear is, indeed, special.  Not only special because of it’s unique properties and hazards, but special for the opportunity it holds to supply our growing energy needs far into this future.  I don’t want the industry to screw it up before we start by not staying focussed on what is important.

If you have views, comment them here for everyone to see.  Use the ‘KISS’ principal…Keep It Simple, Stupid, please so everyone can understand!  No physics speak or boring “what about the waste?” problem statements.  If you highlight a problem, try to put forward possible solutions.  Respect everyone’s views and most of all…have your say!

Let’s see where it goes.

My sense is that new nuclear will happen, therefore, the opportunity exists for a clear public agenda to be developed, especially on Anglesey.  Things like making the new station work for the community as much as it does the company that owns it.  Stuff like shaping the islands education system for an engineering economy.  You know…forward thinking common sense stuff that the lawyers, accountants and politicians might forget about.

Have a great New Year!

TNG

Hi everyone,

I get asked all the time when I think there will be a Wylfa B. First of all, don’t ever call it Wylfa B. Think of a better name. One that evokes the 21st century attitudes and behaviours that will be required to successfully operate the beast.  More about that in a later post!

To answer the ‘when’ question, though, I thought I would start a thread here about the conditions needed for any company to seriously consider putting 4-7 billion notes on the nuclear construction table to build just one of the modern beasts currently seen as the favourites. It is not about land…it is not about public support…it is not even about digging some exploratory bore holes around the sites selected for “potential” new build (you would be amazed how many existing Wylfa employees are comforted by the fact their cars are getting dirty as they use the approach road to work!).

No…It is all about CARBON, or to be more precise, making existing pollutors pay for the privelige of producing it. In simple terms, there is a market where carbon intensive industries buy the rights to pollute the environment. It operates like the stock market.  At the moment the carbon price is too low to support major nuclear investment, and the forecast for carbon prices going forward is also low. This means that for the foreseeable future it will be cheaper to burn gas than it will be to allocate huge sums of capital for the construction of (business) risk laden nuclear plant which may not be able to compete in commercial terms with this carbon intensive energy source in the future.

That is why Copenhagen was so important. And with that opportunity missed other forums will now have to be exploited to try and move the price of carbon to 3, 4 or even 5 times where it is now.

Companies interested in getting something built with “nuclear” in the title need to be able to see a world where it is not acceptable to burn the second dirtiest form of fuel (coal being first), Gas.

I urge each of you to google ‘carbon’ and start to learn a bit more about the market and it’s issues (see the link under blog roll at the right!).  After that, mention it to every politician you can bother as they have been quite clear that no ‘Nuclear Levy” will be allowed.  In that case, the only way forward is to make the polluters pay.  Quite right too!  After all, new nuclear will have to account, plan and fund for the waste they will create right up front.  So should your local CCGT or oil/ coal plant.

Trust me…the only folks who will ultimately determine whether new nuclear happens are the accountants. And the only thing the accountants will be interested in is the business case bottom line. At the moment that line is not dominated by waste, security, safety or political issues around nuclear. No…it is purely focussed on the economics 10-60 years in the future and the price the energy industry will have to pay to generate a ton of CO2.

Tell your friends to visit and get involved in this blog.  Ask a question and I will give you an answer.

Promise

TNG

Hi everyone. Sorry for the lack of posts. Pretty busy but I have it in my diary now so I am going for once a week from Monday, 21 December!

I have an idea which might provoke some thoughts and further discussion over the holidays so visit then.

The nuclear debate is fast approaching.

See you Monday,

TNG

I have been following a couple of “lines of chat” recently and am surprised at how quickly the “border lines” are drawn when opportunity strikes.

Most of you will have heard that the government have announced the issue of their National Policy Statements for consultation.  One of these statements deals with nuclear and gives priority to the construction of “new nuclear” to 10 sites around the country.  No sooner was the announcement made then local communities, elected officials and normal folks; like you and me, start considering and then limiting the potential benefits of such a site to ourselves and our neighbours.  Discussions about how we can keep out foreign labour (in Wales that means the English!), employ only local people and exclude outside influences are all around me.

I don’t think that is the issue.  It might be different if they were going to dig the hole starting tomorrow!  But they are not.  No…it will be some time before construction begins and much longer before the longer term operations begin.  So, to me, the issue is clear.  Let’s take this time to prepare ourselves, our children and our communities for the “possibilities” that lie ahead.

If you are an adult and you are interested in a career in nuclear what are you doing to prepare yourself for that opportunity?  If you have a young family, what are you doing to make sure our island’s education system is up to the challenge?  and if you are a local businessperson, what are you doing to align your business with the challenges that lay ahead?

It will not be easy.  The people, government, education system, business and our communities are not as ready as they could be.

And if you consider that new nuclear is not just possible but, in fact, very probable indeed, we better pull our finger out, and soon!

I am going to think about this for a couple of days.  Then I am going to contact my elected reps and tell them my views about the above.  Then I am going to form four groups as follows;

1.  Adult learning for working in the nuclear industry.

2.  Concerned parents in education.

3.  Association of nuclear aware businesses.

4.  Community and political action for nuclear change

I may not succeed on every front.  But I won’t give up!

Keep your eyes and ears open and get involved if you can.

TNG

This is a very first test post from the “Nuke Guy”. If you are interested in nuclear power on Anglesey from any side of the fence (there are more than two sides, by the way…) this may be the place for you!

In the very near future I will be blogging all aspects of the nuclear agenda on this beautiful island of ours. Of course I am pro but…I want to see it done right so that we leave the best possible legacy for our children and our children’s children.

You will be able to access great sites, ask questions you want answered and get information no one else will give you right here.

If you care about Anglesey and it’s people as much as I do you can visit and comment as often as you like.

Speak soon,

TNG