Our Membership Officer, Deolinda Eltringham writes to her MP, Mr Bim Afolami, Conservative MP for Hitchin & Harpenden
“Please vote against the Nuclear Energy (Finance) Bill”
Good morning , Mr Afolami MP,
I am writing to urge you to vote against the Nuclear Energy (Finance) Bill which has its final reading in the House of Commons on Monday 10 January.
This controversial new legislation will force all energy consumers to bankroll the nuclear power industry whether they wish to use it at all or not, whilst giving them no protection from spiralling costs. This will force thousands more families in the future into fuel poverty, families that would likely be made-up of the young students of today, and with no right to vote in the present, for current decisions that would adversely impact them.
The Bill will enable energy companies to charge consumers to construct and operate new nuclear power plants under a regulated asset base (RAB) funding model. Evidence shows that under such models, costs for nuclear power stations abandoned during construction as well as cost over-runs of $2.1 billion are all being passed on to consumers. Richard Hall, Chief Energy Economist at Citizens Advice, who gave evidence to the parliamentary Committee examining the Bill, argues ‘…consumers do not have any control over the risk. Essentially, they are the passive recipient of the risks.’ This Bill would have the same “strangle noose effect” on the UK energy market, just like the past PFI initiatives/contracts of the past are bankrupting the NHS, and preventing the UK ever having a Health Service that is funded enough. It is shameful that the present UK government would see future generations as cash-cows to exploit into financial slavery for eternity, from every economical angle.
The electricity generated from nuclear power is twice the price of the energy generated from true renewable sources. Nuclear is hampered by generic design flaws, long delays and safety risks in the running and the decommissioning. Put simply it’s dangerous to people and planet. To meet Britain’s 2050 net zero goals, instead of forcing consumers to bankroll this costly, inefficient and dangerous form of power generation, the government should be investing in truly renewable options and making all UK buildings and especially homes energy-efficient to reduce carbon emissions as well as the national demand on total energy, and related energy bills.
Please put yourself in the shoes of a current teenager, and primary school child, and be brutally honest with yourself: would this Bill and any Nuclear Power projects it may facilitate, make their lives easier and safer, or not? Can you see yourself as an elderly lawyer, beyond 2050, being able to truly defend your voting decision this Monday 10th Jan, to the accusations of today’s youth? Just like at present with slavery and slave trading, the future generations will judge our generation critically and harshly, based NOT on the lies used to push bad bill through current Parliament, but on their real consequences they will be living through.
So many economical decisions made so far by the government have been huge financial errors and waste of funds and resources, let’s not add this one more.
I urge you to vote against this Bill.
Sincerely
Deolinda Eltringham
Green Party Co-Leader,Adrian Ramsay adds his point of view :-https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2022/01/27/green-party-co-leader-criticises-£100-million-bailout-for-sizewell-c/?