Nuclear Power
Lord Mandleson has announced that a new Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre will be based at Catcliffe near Sheffield. The government plans to bring together university research and industrial expertise to develop manufacturing techniques for the nuclear power industry. Nuclear power is dirty, dangerous and not the answer to climate change.

A Nuclear South Yorkshire?
Lord Mandleson has announced that a new Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre will be based at Catcliffe near Doncaster.  The government plans to bring together university research and industrial expertise to develop manufacturing techniques for the nuclear power industry.  It will be led by the University of Sheffield in partnership with the University of Manchester and it is expected to be up and running by the end of 2011.  The government are supplying £15 million and Yorkshire Forward will support the project with a further £10 million.

At the same time it was announced that Rolls Royce plan to base their factory in South Yorkshire.  It will assemble parts for the 10 new nuclear power stations that the government has planned.

Nuclear Power is Dirty and Dangerous
It can lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons.  Nuclear power and nuclear weapons share a common technological basis.  The uranium enrichment process to make fuel for nuclear power can be a step to enriching it further to produce weapons.  Used nuclear fuel from nuclear power stations can be separated to recover elements such as uranium and plutonium.  Plutonium can be used to make nuclear weapons.

Research has shown that there are increased rates of cancer around nuclear power stations.  New nuclear power stations are designed to be safer but there is always a chance of human error or mechanical failure which could release toxic radioactive substance into the atmosphere

Chernobyl demonstrates that accidents can happen with widespread catastrophic consequences.

Won’t it solve climate change?
Climate change is an immediate threat.  New nuclear power stations will take over a decade to come online.  This is too late.

Even if we were to double our output from nuclear power production, we would only decrease our emissions by 8%.

If the whole nuclear fuel cycle is taken into account, renewable sources of energy produce far less carbon emissions.

Nuclear power is not the answer to climate change.

Yorkshire Forward
Yorkshire Forward is the regional development agency.  They receive funding from the government and the EU to support regeneration activities in the Yorkshire region.  They have led the bid for the UK’s first coal-fired carbon capture plant at Hatfield near Doncaster.  They have also supported airport expansion in the region.

Rolls Royce
Rolls Royce currently has a plant in Derby which manufactures parts for the submarines that carry the UK’s nuclear weapons.  The proposed factory for South Yorkshire will manufacture, assemble and test parts for the planned new nuclear power stations.

Jobs
These plans would bring much-needed jobs to South Yorkshire.  However, Lord Mandleson admitted that the announcement held little hope for those who have already lost their jobs in the steel industry.

If renewable energy technology had the investment it deserves, far more jobs would be created in the green sector than the nuclear power industry.

Alternative
In order to truly tackle climate change, we need to reduce out carbon consumption.  Alternative renewable sources of technology, such as wind, solar and wave, need proper funding.

For example, in the UK if all homes were fitted with the insulation needed carbon emissions would be reduced by the same amount as 10 nuclear power stations.

South Yorkshire should become a green research centre, creating more jobs and a better future for us all.


Take Action!

Attend the debate: Keeping the Lights On in South Yorkshire, is our future nuclear or not?  Wednesday 28 April 2010 from 7pm to 8.30pm Visit www.new.solar-active.com/debate/ to register

Write to your MP if you live in South Yorkshire or to Lord Mandleson outlining your opposition and suggest a green alternative.

Write to Terry Hodgkinson, Chair of Yorkshire Forward questioning why they are investing heavily in the nuclear industry and not in renewable technology. (Victoria House ?2 Victoria Place ?Leeds ?LS11 5AE, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Students and academics at the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester should contact their Vice Chancellor and challenge their institutions involvement.

A coalition is being formed in Sheffield. Please contact David at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or ring 01274 730 795.

See www.cnduk.org/index.php/campaigns/nuclear-power/nuclear-power for more arguments and details of nuclear power.