Paul Flynn MP: Nuclear Power still enjoys undeserved wide support in the UK

Newport West MP Paul Flynn writes ahead of his Westminster Hall debate on 'New nuclear power'

It's a financial basket case. Since the plans for Hinkley Point C were first announced there has been an odyssey of failure, delay and mounting costs. A positive image has been created by a rich skilful lobby that has manipulated gullible public opinion. Other nations who were not protected from the awful £250bn truth of Fukushima have abandoned nuclear power. Germany is one that has transformed their future energy plans into renewables solutions.

In denial the UK stumbles on.  Europe’s catastrophic delays in two similar stations are ignored even though their problems are likely to be repeated here. Finland's Olkiluoto was due to generate electricity in 2009. The latest of many promised finish dates is 2018. Cost overruns stand at €4 billion.
The sister station at Flamaville in Normandy was originally planned to be completed in 2012 at a cost of €3.3 billion. Later the hope was 2016 at €8.5 billion. In April 2015 serious problems were discovered in the vessel's steel.

Nothing has been on time at Hinkley C. Sensible investment by Centrica ran away in 2013 writing off a loss of £200m. A ramshackle investment group of Chinese rival companies and a near bankrupt French company shores up the present plans. The previous Government’s ludicrously generous deal to buy electricity at twice the present going rate at a price guaranteed for 35 years is mocked by the falling price on energy internationally. Originally conceived in 2006 the earliest date for completion is now in 2023.

Other factors are likely to doom Hinkley. Its technology has been overtaken by superior designs. The stratospheric cost of cleaning up past nuclear waste at Sellafield is currently heading from £53 billion to a possible £100 Billion.

Still all of Parliament's major parties are bewitched by the Pied Piper of nuclear power and march towards troubled waters.