TASC say Sizewell C investors beware!
TASC are extremely surprised that the UK government have launched a cash raise from potential investors while the outstanding legal challenge against Kwasi Kwarteng’s woeful approval of the Sizewell C project is ongoing [see Leigh Day’s press release 18/09/23 per note 1].
A TASC spokesperson said “ Sizewell C is not just cash strapped, after 15 years of consultation and planning it still has no guaranteed supply for the 2.2 million litres of potable water a day required for its slated 60 years of operation. Also, Sizewell C’s commercial viability is based on EDF’s incomprehensible claim that the Sizewell C site will be fully decommissioned by 2140.
This date has been flatly contradicted by the Office of Nuclear Regulation, who told TASC it will take 70 years after the plant stops generating for spent fuel to cool sufficiently, be moved offsite and the store decommissioned [note 2]. The only way the 2140 deadline could be met at Sizewell C would be to slash its operating life by nearly 30 years, meaning electricity generation stops in 2070, driving a coach and horses through this project’s claimed commercial viability and contribution to meeting the UK’s climate change goals.”
Note 1 Leigh Day press release of 18th September 2023 https://www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/2023-news/campaigners-win-permission-to-appeal-against-sizewell-c-nuclear-power-station-ruling/
Note 2 TASC’s DCO submission REP8-285a Deadline 8: Oral representations & comments regarding ISH 11 Flooding, Water & Coastal Processes reference Agenda item 3b) and Annex A. This is supported by the ‘generally expected’ 160 year full lifetime of a nuclear site set out in the Environment Agency and ONR’s joint advice note, Principles for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Office for Nuclear Regulation and Environment Agency Joint Advice Note – see Appendix A on page 10. EDF’s own DCO documents show the project could not meet the 2140 deadline, see NNB GenCo /EDF’s DCO submission APP-192 para 7.7.92 and DCO submission APP-189 para 5.1.5
