webfarmer | Scottish Greens Crank on Nukes Too

This press release from the Scottish Greens just in. This headline tossed me off for a bit as "vampire" in the States is often the handle that refers to the small but constant and collectively significant loads put on the grid by instant-on appliances like televisions or the often flashing displays of electronic devices such as VCRs. Supposedly someone is working that problem.

Nuclear Power: Scots to Pay for 'Vampire' Technology - AllMediaScotland.com - 10 Jan 08

"GREEN MSP MEDIA RELEASE

Greens today reacted with dismay, but not surprise, as UK Ministers announced their much-trailed approval for a new round of nuclear power stations. Although the election of a majority of anti-nuclear Parliamentarians in May 2007 means Scotland will not be home to any of these new plants, Scots taxpayers will still be funding the vast and irresponsible subsidies being planned in Whitehall, and paying out again through increased electricity bills.

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

'This is vampire economics, using massive infusions of taxpayers' money to try and bring the nuclear industry back to life. Labour have decided that we should pay the industry's decommissioning costs, plus the costs of setting up waste storage facilities, and, staggeringly, an extra fee per unit of electricity we use. All this on top of the £70bn of waste we have already been left to deal with from existing plants. (1)

'What's more, the idea that nuclear power is a sensible response to climate change has been comprehensively rubbished, not least by Labour, back when they were in opposition and before the nuclear lobby got to them. (2) Has word not yet reached Westminster that the right answer is increased installation of renewables and increased energy efficiency?'

1. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority figures, quoted here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4859980.stm

2. "What is unbelievably depressing about the [Conservative] government's response is that they see, in the evidence about greenhouse gases, not an opportunity to promote environmental concern but a chance to make the case for nuclear power" - Tony Blair, Neil Kinnock's shadow energy secretary, 1988-89 (Hansard link: http://tinyurl.com/3azeuo)

James Mackenzie
Media and Communications
Scottish Green MSPs
Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh EH99 1SP

Tel: 0131 348 6360
Mob: 0790 99 33 074
Fax: 0131 348 5972
Contact: James Mackenzie
Phone: 0131 348 6360 or 0790 99 33 074