Contact/Cyswllt:  Sian Cliff
02920 898342 / sian.cliff@wales.gov.uk

Following the Government's announcement on nuclear power, Mick Bates AM said:

“Nuclear power is not the answer to Wales’ energy needs. Firms building nuclear power stations may be forced to pay eventual decommissioning costs, but there are plenty of unseen costs – the cost to people’s health and the environment – which cannot be paid for.

““Nuclear power is not the answer to our environmental problems. It will not bring about a dramatic reduction in carbon emissions. Investing in energy saving has seven times as much effect as nuclear power for every pound spent.

“Instead of investing in nuclear, I want the government to spend the money on reducing our carbon emissions, so every household and every business in Wales saves energy and saves money too.

“Cutting carbon emissions and focusing on renewables is the only way to secure real energy security. In Wales we have the natural resources to develop a green energy industry. This is what I want for future generations, not the toxic legacy of nuclear energy.”


Ends/Diwedd


Notes:

According to the latest Nirex Radioactive Waste Inventory, by the time the two nuclear power stations in Wales have been fully cleaned up, they will have produced 150,000m3 of nuclear waste. The information can be found under Table A1.8 on p.67 under total packaged volume of waste, see: http://www.nda.gov.uk/documents/upload/N090-The-2004-UK-Radioactive-Wastes-Inventory-main-report.pdf

An Olympic size swimming pool has a total volume of 2,500m3. Therefore the nuclear waste in Wales would be enough to fill 60 Olympic size swimming pools.

A Copy of the NGC report can be found at: http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2008/01/04/NUCLEAR_REPORT_COMPLETE.pdf