UNITE: ‘Lights going out on UK energy policy’ as work on Wylfa nuclear power station suspended
Thursday, 17 January 2019 09:35
The lights are going out on a coherent UK energy policy, Unite,
Britain and Ireland’s largest union, said today (Thursday 17
January), as Hitachi suspends work on the Wylfa nuclear power
station. Unite said that today’s announcement that Hitachi
was halting construction at the site on Anglesey was ‘the
latest chapter in the sorry saga of recent UK energy policy’. Unite
pinpointed a number of factors that are leading to a crisis about
how the energy needs of businesses and...Request free trial
The lights are going out on a coherent UK energy policy, Unite,
Britain and Ireland’s largest union, said today (Thursday 17
January), as Hitachi suspends work on the Wylfa nuclear power
station.
Unite said that today’s announcement that Hitachi was halting
construction at the site on Anglesey was ‘the latest chapter
in the sorry saga of recent UK energy policy’.
Unite pinpointed a number of factors that are leading to a crisis
about how the energy needs of businesses and households will be met
in the decades ahead.
- The withdrawal of Toshiba from the Moorside nuclear power
station project in Cumbria in November
- The controversy over the financing of the Hinkley Point
nuclear in Somerset being built by French company EDF, with a
stake from Chinese state-owned investor CGN
- Security concerns over future Chinese involvement in the UK
nuclear programme
- The reluctance of the Tory government to commit to
large-scale funding of infrastructure projects.
Unite national officer for energy Peter McIntosh
said: “The decision taken today by Hitachi is a disaster for
the UK economy and future energy needs of the country. It is the
latest chapter in the sorry saga of recent UK energy policy.
“This government should be held to account as it has no coherent
policy and has, yet again, let the country down. The lights are
going out when it comes to energy policy.
“There are very real concerns over how we will keep the lights on
for industry and consumers in the coming decades.
“Without Wylfa being built, there is no way the country can meet
its climate change obligations which it committed to when it signed
up to the Paris Agreement in 2016.
“We need to replace the current generation of nuclear plants and
Wylfa is a key part of that programme.
“Business secretary needs to step up to the plate and
recalibrate energy policy with a vigorous commitment to substantial
government funding for large-scale energy infrastructure
projects.
“Government energy policy in recent times has been littered with
controversy and confusion from Toshiba pulling out of Moorside
to the flawed financing model for Hinkley Point – and now
Wylfa.”
Unite Wales regional secretary Peter Hughes said: “This is
devastating news for the Welsh economy and, in particular, that of
north west Wales. The future regeneration on the region has been
based upon the bedrock that Wylfa Newydd would proceed.
“For that to now be suspended is a hammer blow to the future
prospects of some of most economically deprived communities in the
whole of Wales.
“Although this decision has ultimately been made by Hitachi, the UK
government must take a massive share of the blame. It has failed
miserably to put its full weight behind this bid and to effectively
advocate the case for Wylfa Newydd.
“For the prime minister to fail to raise Wylfa
Newydd with the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe last week was
shameful.
“The UK government’s complete obsession with its disastrous Brexit
strategy has meant it has completely took its eye off the ball in
getting this crucial infrastructure project over the
line.
“’s government is failing Wales at
every turn.”
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