Press Releases for 2004

DUNGENESS - MORE PROBLEMS

9th December 2004

The recent reports of handing out potassium iodate tablets to people living within a 2.4 mile radius of Dungeness in Kent(1) are not the only recent disturbing event about the nuclear power stations. The Dungeness B Nuclear station to be inspected for cracks as it is an Advanced Gas-Cooled reactor station (it has two such reactors). This is because of cracks in a nuclear reactor core which have led to the temporary closure of Hartlepool's advance gas-cooled reactor power station. Steve Dawe comments:

"The cracks in the Hartlepool reactor were found in graphite bricks during a routine maintenance shut-down earlier this year and the reactor has been shut down ever since. The fault means British Energy, which owns the Hartlepool site, will carry out checks on its other advanced gas-cooled reactors around the country(2). If this proves to be a common fault in this type of power station, it could lead to an accelerated programme of closure of such power stations.

"Kent Green Party recommends that Shepway District Council and Kent County Council conduct an investigation to identify new possible sources of locally-based employment to counter the jobs losses which are likely as first Dungeness A then Dungeness B close. Since Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has said he wishes to move civil servants out of London, there is a good case for Shepway to be considered as a new location for a civil service department. Since there are over 700 persistently empty properties in the Shepway district, it should be possible to accommodate a significant number of new arrivals without building on greenfield sites(3). The Kent Green Party also sees enormous potential in energy conservation and renewable energy installation in homes, especially now that oil and gas prices have risen and are predicted to remain high in future. ENDS c299 words

FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Dawe, Press Officer, KENT GREEN PARTY on 01233 645167 or 07747 036192. Contact address as above.

Notes: 1. See for example: Daily Star 4th December.

2. Hartlepool Mail 7th December http://www.hartlepooltoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1109&ArticleID=900951

3. See Shepway District Council documentation: Draft Housing Strategy March 2004; Housing Assistance Policy April 2004; Homeless Strategy 31.7.2003.

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