TASC Press Release 29/11/22
SHAPPS FOLLOWS JOHNSON AND KWARTENG’S EXAMPLE AND IGNORES LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS AT SIZEWELL
Grant Shapps follows Johnson and Kwarteng’s example by purposefully avoiding any discussion or interaction with those directly affected by the proposed Sizewell nuclear development during his recent visit to Sizewell while reconfirming the government’s commitment to the £700m investment by way of joining EDF in a 50:50 partnership in the Sizewell C White Elephant financial sink hole on Suffolk’s eroding coast.
Jenny Kirtley, Chair of Together Against Sizewell C, said today, ‘There is nothing new in terms of funding – this announcement still doesn’t go beyond the £700m already promised, followed by a lot of sticking plasters to protect the government from the criticism of doing nothing for years to drive down electricity on the demand side. A pathetic response from a delusional government that is long past its sell-by date.
‘The government’s own risk assessment forecasts that Sizewell C may cost up to £43 billion – yet another example of this government’s willingness to squander £billions of public money on a project that may never operate as it still requires the resolution of EDF’s inability to secure a permanent and reliable supply of a potable water.
‘To say Sizewell C will provide energy independence and security is laughable – a flawed French design, which is likely to never operate at full capacity, French developers, overseas finance and fuelled by uranium sourced from overseas.
‘The entire plan is a mess of disinformation, incomplete data and represents an investment that no-one in their right mind will touch with a bargepole. Except, that is, a delusional, nuclear-obsessed government which is liberal with the use of public money to pretend that its energy policy will allow us to meet climate change targets. It won’t. This makes TASC’s application for a judicial review of the approval of the Sizewell C development consent order carry even greater importance.‘
