27/1/2010 - Cabinet to agree key response to energy issues affecting Cumbria : Cumbria County Council

The case for building a new nuclear power station at Sellafield is due to be strengthened next week, but Cumbria County Council's cabinet is calling for more clarity on how the process is being run to decide on a location for an underground facility to dispose of radioactive waste.

A paper due to be discussed at a cabinet meeting next week (Tuesday Feb 2) will formulate the county council's response to a Government consultation on its new draft National Policy Statements on energy issues and ports. Once agreed, the National Policy Statements will be instrumental in determining planning decisions on defined national infrastructure projects.

The county council's response reaffirms the position of Cumbria's Nuclear Issues Working Group that Sellafield is the most suitable site for a new nuclear power station in Cumbria. While weighing up the pros and cons of potentially having three new nuclear power stations in the county - two of them at Braystones and Kirksanton on previously undeveloped greenfield sites - the recommended Cabinet response states that the county council is minded not to support the case for the sites at Braystones and Kirksanton "because it is not convinced at either site that the benefits of development would outweigh the costs".

Cllr Tony Markley, Cumbria County Council's cabinet member responsible for economic regeneration, said:

"Sellafield is clearly the preferred site in the county to build one of the next generation of nuclear power stations. There's a compelling argument there in terms of job creation and tapping into the existing nuclear skills base in the community in West Cumbria. At this stage, we're minded not to support any plans to build nuclear power stations in Kirksanton or Braystones - the impact on local communities and the landscape outweighs the potential benefits. Sellafield has always been the nuclear hub of Cumbria and the industry should remain focused on that site."

The National Policy Statement response also considers the issue of radioactive waste management and spent nuclear fuel from a new generation of nuclear power stations. Cabinet's response calls for a commitment from the Government to legislation to underpin the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS) process, particularly to ensure future agreed community benefits are delivered over the very long timescale it would take to develop an underground disposal facility. The response points out that clarity through legislation would give added confidence to communities engaging in the MRWS process.

Cllr Tim Knowles, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member responsible for environment, said:

"Cumbria County Council is currently engaged in the process of finding a geological disposal facility for radioactive waste and is a member of the West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely (MRWS) Partnership. But although we're involved and engaged, we still need clarity about the process and what the benefits for communities will be.

"Everyone recognises the reality that for confidence to be maintained in this process, the full support of both tiers of local government will be essential. We must co-ordinate our decision making and step forward together, or not at all. We believe either tier of local government should be able to veto this process if they do not like what they see. We will be advised by the West Cumbria Partnership on the level of community support, but we will also need solid Government commitments to new investment before we commit to any development."