Last updated at 13:23, Thursday, 23 April 2009

ANTI-NUCLEAR campaigners have warned wind turbines could be scrapped should a nuclear power plant be built near Millom.

Energy bosses have come under fire from action group Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment over the future of the turbines in Haverigg.

RWE npower, which is behind plans to build a plant at Layriggs in Kiksanton, has admitted a nuclear plant and some of the existing wind turbines “would not be able to co-exist”.

The two groups went head-to-head during a public debate at Millom School on Tuesday.

CORE leader Martin Forwood said: “The truth is out. This so-called springboard is clearly programmed to spring in one direction only,
towards nuclear and away from renewables. It beggars belief that, at a time when wind power has never been more vital to the UK, a viable wind farm is to be sacrificed on the altar of nuclear power.

“It also exposes the duplicity of RWE who have previously claimed that it was a myth that a new build will detract from the construction of
renewables, and shows up the Energy Coast plan for the pro-nuclear sham that it really is.”

Six of the turbines fall within the proposed power plant footprint, and two of the turbines are adjacent to the site boundary. One of the more recent turbines is owned by a community co-operative. In response to the accusations, nuclear development manager for RWE npower Stuart
Dagnall, said: “Any development at Kirksanton would not be able to co-exist with at least some of the turbines at Haverigg.

“They would have to be moved at least, to somewhere further away.”

After the meeting a spokesman for RWE npower added: “Any new nuclear power station at Kirksanton wouldn’t necessarily mean the wind farm would have to go.

“There would definitely be some impact though, depending on how the station was configured and this is something we’d discuss with the
operator and landowner. It’s plain wrong to imply that RWE is focused on nuclear at the expense of wind power. We’re currently spending around £1bn, every year, developing wind farms.

“In this case though, a nuclear station at Haverigg would produce at least 500 times more carbon dioxide free electricity than the existing wind farm.”

First published at 13:22, Thursday, 23 April 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk