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20051201 Thursday December 01, 2005

 Swearing at the Radio... Nuclear Power

I'm usually a very placid sort of chap, I have the patience of a saint, and a generally laid back attitude to life in general, in short, it takes a lot to get me riled.

Radio 4's PM programme, however, often manages this.

This is not a complaint against them though, as it's actually pretty good. However, the subject matter Tuesday gone was about the UK's burgeoning power crisis. As my web services counterpart Steve is fond of saying... "We're doomed!"

Residents of California will doubtless be nodding knowledgably at this point.

The solution is, of course, nuclear power, and anyone who disagrees is wrong. (You can see I'm not a diplomat).

Now this isn't a popular position obviously, but I counter it with a few facts.

1. Nuclear power stations (as opposed to bombs) have killed far less people than any other type of power station over their working lives. Why is everyone terrified of nuclear power anyway when far more people die from car crashes, alcoholism and eating rubbish food?

2. Nuclear power stations don't produce CO2, enough reason on its own if you believe all the loony global warming stuff.

3. Nuclear power is safe provided it is well funded and well managed. Ahem, well, we've hopefully learn't some lessons there!

4. Nuclear power stations aren't threatened by terrorism. If you don't understand why then you don't understand nuclear power.

I've already been asked... "Ah yes, but what would you say if one was built near to you then?"

1. I already have one near me and it's been there my entire life. Dungeness nuclear power station is here, about 15 miles from my house. Curiously, it is also at the end of that little railway I was on a couple of weeks ago. I havent got three arms or six eyes.

Here is what it look like...



Can you spot the huge tracks of glowing red devastated land, disfigured radiation soaked inhabitants drawing their last breaths?(For my American readers, that was indeed a piece of 'irony')

2. I've stood on top of the Dungeness nuclear reactor when it was operating at full power with a Geiger counter, the same Geiger counter registered more radiation in my garden due to granite rocks. It's safe, got that?

Of course all the loonies like Greenpeace came out with the all the usual tripe about Chernobel and three mile island, well they would wouldn't they. But when a when a 'Minister' started chuntering the same stuff, I'm afraid that got me swearing at the radio, I don't suffer fools gladly. Fortunately, for once, old Tony is talking a bit of sense though. The UK will be at the mercy of gas and oil prices if we don't act now.

I'm all for cutting down on power usage where appropriate, I use economy bulbs and switch off stuff when it's not being used. I have cavity wall insulation etc etc etc. We all know that wind farms and wave power are about as much use as a chocolate tea pot when there isn't any wind, alongside the damage they do to the landscape. Nuclear power stations are small (relatively), clean and efficient. Yes, we need to give thought to the waste problem, but lets stop mucking about with everything else and get serious on this. What we need is a big, deep hole in the ground.

And we need to spend as much money as possible on fusion research. Then I won't have to worry about switching anything off ever again.

( Dec 01 2005, 11:14:48 AM GMT / Dec 01 2005, 10:59:25 AM GMT ) Permalink Comments [4]
Trackback: http://blogs.sun.com/Drew/entry/swearing_at_the_radio

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Comments:

Come on, Drew... stop being so mealy-mouthed and conciliatory, and tell us what you *really* think ;^)

As for the terrorism risk: I would argue that in today's society, there are many other 'softer' targets in the Critical National Infrastructure which (if successfully attacked) would do greater damage.

Much as it makes me shudder to say this... like you, I agree with Mr Blair on this one. Maybe this is his last decent shot at a lasting legacy: "A Glowing Future for Britain".

(sorry, couldn't resist that one)

Posted by Robin Wilton on December 01, 2005 at 11:58 AM GMT #

Our great grand children are going to scratch their heads when studying our generation's rejection of nuclear energy. The revisionist textbooks of their day will probably come up with some pap like, "The building of nuclear plants ended in the 1980's when the Reagan administration used all available uranium for the construction of nuclear bombs."

Posted by John Hoffmann on December 01, 2005 at 03:13 PM GMT #

It's interesting to consider where this is going. I fully expect:

1. Fusion power to be properly cracked in the next 50 years

2. My kids to be consuming four times the power I do when they reach my current age (Why can't I have a wall sides video screen in every room if the power is available and isn't harming anything?)

3. The concept of 'switch off' will be as antiquated as hand cranking your car.

Posted by Drew on December 01, 2005 at 05:42 PM GMT #

I have just googled info R.E. GEC reactor quipment/Energy Systems, as an Ex Sub Contract Employee involved in the Test/Development/Calibration of the GEMS/FEGAMS projects of the late 1980's. I am surprised to find no info or even acknowledgement of the existence of this period. What we built & tested was of the highest possible standards. High end Commercial grade components were used througout this monitoring system & had an estimated funcional life of 25+ years. Would like to discuss with others (involved during this period) the current functional status of these systems.

Posted by Adrian Philip King on April 27, 2009 at 10:08 AM BST #

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