Drop Hinkley Point - letter to Julian Sturdy MP

Dear Mr Sturdy,

Apparently a decision is to be made on Hinkley Point next week.  This would be a huge disaster and missed opportunity for the UK.  Let me outline just a few of the problems with Hinkley Point

1. It is an unproven technology; with two other power stations being built to the same design being massively over budget and over time so that there is a serious danger that it will not be available when we need it.
2. It is yet another massive development project in the South when we need projects and development in the North of the country far more.
3. It is taking money from renewable energy.  We are seeing the government provide subsidies for North Sea Oil and Fracking both of which are enormously harmful while removing all subsidies from renewable energy developments.
4. It offers guarantees of electricity prices for three decades, during which time we can expect the price of renewable energy to fall massively with the result that consumers (you and me) are likely to end up paying more for electricity to France and China.
5. Nuclear energy leaves dangerous waste for tens or hundreds of THOUSANDS of years, waste that we don’t have any way of safely handling so that it is currently stored at huge cost and with a serious danger of leaks.

If the investment were instead put into renewable energy it would create thousands of jobs within the UK, provide electricity much more quickly and safely.

Please press the Chancellor to drop Hinkley Point and invest the money in renewables instead.  It will be better for Britain, safer and create more jobs in the UK.

Best wishes

Tom.

Tom Franklin

4 Frazer Court

York

YO30 5FH