The Guardian newspaper reports that the environmental group Greenpeace has obtained the report by the Nuclear Safety Directorate (NSD) using the Freedom of Information Act. The findings suggest that at least one – and probably three if not more – of the older UK nuclear stations could have to be closed due to cracks in the cores of their reactors.
The NSD’s report focuses on the Hinkley Point B reactor, but also cites similar cracking problems at other stations which are also of the advanced gas-cooled type. In total there are 13 advanced gas-cooled reactors operating in the UK, all of which are run by British Energy.
British Energy is reportedly criticized by the NSD report for not properly knowing the extent of the problem in its reactors. The core of each reactor is made up of a lining of graphite bricks, and it is these bricks that have started to show signs of ageing. British Energy and the workplace safety agency the Health and Safety Executive have both insisted that they are aware of the issue and that the cracking has been taken into account when assessing the safety of each plant.
The Guardian quotes one of the NSD inspectors’ assessment of the impact of the cracks: While I do not believe that a large release [of radiation] is a likely scenario, some lesser event … is, I believe, inevitable at some stage if a vigilant precautionary approach is not adopted. There is an increased likelihood of increased risk should we agree to continued operation.
Such a damning verdict comes at the worst possible time both for the nuclear industry and the government. The nuclear sector is mounting something of a charm offensive following the prime minister’s comments that atomic power is back on the agenda with a vengeance.
Mr Blair is thought to see a new nuclear program as a key part of the UK’s strategy for meeting its commitments on climate change. However news that several of the country’s existing atomic plants may struggle to fulfill their anticipated lifespan due to safety fears will only intensify an already heated debate about whether more reactors should be built to replace them.
The government’s trade and industry minister Alistair Darling has thus far given only lukewarm backing to nuclear, and recently commented that a major clampdown on energy waste by business would help alleviate a looming power gap. In contrast, the business lobby – led by the CBI – is known to favor nuclear as the only means of averting what it sees as a ‘risk of blackouts’.
Public opinion in the UK on nuclear power remains divided, with concerns hitherto focusing on the thorny issue of waste disposal and the massive capital cost of a new build program.
However there is also widespread acknowledgement that renewable sources are not likely to be able to cater for the necessary demand once the existing reactors have been shut down. Faced with this dilemma, some of the major UK power generators – including German-owned heavyweights Powergen and npower – are looking into clean coal technology as a means of producing power while also reducing the impact on the country’s emissions targets.
