Local Lib Dems reject Nuclear Power

6.10.00pm GMT Sat 2nd Feb 2008

The Government wants to introduce a new generation of nuclear power stations. It claims that we need to 'keep the lights on' and that nuclear is 'carbon free'. Putting the issue of thousands of years of radioactive waste to one side, the earliest time a reactor could realistically come on line is 2020. Too late to keep the lights on! We need to invest heavily in clean energy sources, such as carbon capture, wind, solar and other renewables. Most energy loss occurs at the point of generation and through transmission. We need to decentralise our grid and encourage conservation in existing, as well as new, buildings.

Nuclear energy is also potentially dangerous. Be it an accident or a terrorist attack, the consequences could be appalling.

Finally, nuclear costs too much. The Government will have to underwrite the cost of all that waste, whatever they say.