EDF’s planning application to build a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point near Burnham-On-Sea has this week been condemned by campaigners opposed to the expansion of the site.
EDF announced on Monday (October 31st) it has submitted an application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission for consent to construct two European Pressurised Reactors.
Stop Hinkley campaign leader Crispin Aubrey said in a statement: “EDF’s proposals will bring up to ten years of road chaos and disruption to the local area, with the company refusing to consider building a bypass round the town of Bridgwater.”
“Only one in five of the expected construction jobs will go to Somerset residents. The power station’s legacy would be highly radioactive waste stored at the
site for over 100 years. Especially after the Fukushima accident in Japan, it’s irresponsible for EDF to continue to pursue its Hinkley Point proposal.”
Stop Hinkley says it will be submitting a petition with more than 12,000 signatures to Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, calling for a halt to the proposals.
If the new station is granted permission, it could be online by 2020 and provide enough energy for five million homes.
The Infrastructure Planning Commission now has up to 28 days to decide whether or not to accept the submission, after which time it becomes a live application. Until then, EDF Energy remains available to provide the IPC with any clarification that might be necessary. The IPC will only publish the application documents after the application has been formally accepted.
If the application is accepted by the IPC, EDF Energy plans to embark on a public information exercise, highlighting its proposals and explaining how to access the documentation and the next steps in the IPC process.
