North Essex: 249 hear power plant plans (From Gazette)

North Essex: 249 hear power plant plans

10:20am Sunday 14th December 2008 in

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AN energy firm says it is pleased with the number of people who turned out to hear its plans for a new nuclear power plant.

More than 240 people attended British Energy’s eight public meetings – including ones in West Mersea and Tollebsury – about building a new nuclear power station at Bradwell.

Three designs are being considered for the site, near the former Magnox twin reactor, with a grid connection of up to 1,650 watts and a store for spent radioactive fuel.

Gareth Brett, head of new nuclear development for the company, said the firm was happy with the response.

He added: “We received some very valuable comments and we want to thank people for taking the trouble to come and meet us and share their views, which will be very beneficial to our planning.”

But Ian Clarke, one of 70 residents to attend a meeting in West Mersea, said he believed audience numbers might have been higher if more people had known about the plans for the radioactive waste store.

He said: “People may or may not accept a new nuclear power station, but they are unlikely to accept a store for radioactive waste, and in terms of this tin of beans, that wasn’t on the label.

“I think if people had known, they would have been there in their hundreds."

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