No.86 December 1991/January 1992 £1.25 At this momentnewsofDounreay's at SCRAM's Safe Energy journal is best stunning incompetence and at produced bi-monthly for the British I COMMENT I worst criminal negligence is Anti-nuclear and Safe Energy ricocheting around the world. This movements by the Scottish Campaign S we go to press, Dounreay to Resist the Atomic Menace. Views has scored an 'own goal' in latest fiasco must surely lead expressed In articles appearing in this governments to concluded that journal are not necessarily th~ of A the debate over their bid to SCRAM. become a world centre for reprocess­ sending HEU spent fuel to Dounreay ing highly enriched uranium (HEU) hardly represents a sensible waste spent fuel from research reactors. management policy. scram, skram, v. They have lost lOkg of HEU. to shut-down a nuclear HERE remains, quite rightly, reactor in an emergency. Trying to pass their 'cock-up' of as an dissatisfaction throughout the 'incident', plant manager Geny Jordan T renewable community. For was reluctant to speculate on the HEU's sure, there have been some 'breaks' CONTRIBUllONS whereabouts. He told the press: "'There for renewable generation oppor­ We welcome contributions of articles, is no evidence to suggest that it left the tunities, but after more than a de­ news, letters, graphics and site, either through the effluent lines or cade of stultification they are still photographs; which should be sent to SCRAM at the address below. in somebodys pocket" He continued: paltry and the transformation is gained grudgingly at best. ''At this stage, I can't discount any LETTERS possibility." And continued: "Where We are still in something of a debilitating SCRAM reserves the right to edit letters the material is, whether it exists or not, interlude. No prospective government to fit the available space. All letters for or whether it is an error in accountancy publication should be submitted by the can make positive moves with the news deadline below. or whatever, must be pure speculation nncertainty of limited power and funds. at this stage." COPY DEADUNES For those with an active interest in The station's reprocessing plant was The ·copy Deadline for feature articles renewables, there is a tendency, after so for the next issue (February/March '92) shut down at the beginning of long in the wilderness, to adopt a wait is 14 January. (Feature articles are December, after the AEA, under the and see attitude. Yet important issues approximately 850 words per page.) supervision of European Community have still to be addressed: should News copy should normally be Inspectors, discovered the material was renewables be connected to national and submitted no later than a fortnight after missing. The last comprehensive international grids, or local networks the features deadline. stocktake of Dounreay's nuclear with control of local people; how can we ADVERllSING inventory was in April this year, when move to suppress the use of no discrepancies were found. carbon-based fuels without adding Advertising rates are shown on page 27. Or Wyn Lywellyn, a specialist in suffering to the least well off; how can Inserts can be mailed out with the nuclear materials accountancy, has reconcile the demands of new journal - details on request. technologies with the legitimate been flown up to Dounreay to head an BACK ISSUES investigation into the matter. It is aspirations of other outdoor users? Back copies of the journal are available expected that the plant will remain To tum into the winds of change is a for most issues. Copies from the closed at least until his investigation is vital for survival, but to lack previous year cost £1.20 (inc. p&p) or £6 completed. Lywellyn is to report for the set of six. Issues more than a year determination, is to be blown away in old are 75p (Inc. p&p). directly to the Department of Energy, the gale. The renewable community his inquiry is expected to be must not shelter behind the obstacles SUBSCRIPllONS completed by the end of the year. but must get out there and use the For details of subscription rates see the Dounreay are obviously holding out elements to their advantage. form on the back page. for the loss to be a paper one only. PRODUCllON Jordan claims that the accountancy NTI-NUCLEAR and renew­ able energy campaigning has Editors: process is not an exact science because Nuclear News- Mike Townsley of the complex measurements A never been more important. Safe Energy- Oave Spence required. This begs the question, why The renewable industry is looking up. Layout- Graham Stein Thenuclearindustrycontinues to lurch carry out complex measurements if Front cover drawing: David Shaw they don't give a reliable answer? along its crazy, drunken path. New demandsareconstantlybeingmadeon However, another possibility is that SCRAM campaigners and great op­ the HEU has been deposited portunities exist for interested activists. somewhere within the reprocessing plant itself, either small amounts all Any interests in therangeofnuclear and Published by SCRAM, 11 Forth over the place, or more worryingly all renewable issues can be fully developed Street, Edinburgh EH1 3LE. in one place. If it is all at one point with experience at SCRAM. You will '11' 031-557 4283/4 within the system, then it goes a fair also be makinganessentialcontribution part of the way to forming a critical to environmentalism. If you want to Fax : 031-557 4284 (no junk faxes) mass. This, presumably, is why they develop research, journalism, cam­ have taken the precaution of halting paigning or a range of skills, you should ISSN 0140 7340 Bi-monthly reprocessing activities, which could contact SCRAM now. Bring your own cost the AEA £125,000 a day. wages. LBR needs you!

2 Safe Energy 86 SAFE ENERGY CONTENTS FEATURES I 8 UK flouts EC radhealth Directive The UK Government has failed to implement a European Community Directive, produced in the wake of the Cher­ nobyl disaster, which calls for an extensive public infor­ mation campaign on the possible consequences of radio­ logical emergencies. Mike Townsley outlines the Directive, and reports on threatened legal action by the Nuclear Free Local Authorities.

10 Danube dam damned While Hungary pulled out in 1989, Czechoslovakia continues amidst contoversy with its Danube hydro-electric power scheme. Bridget Gubbins has been to the site of the dam, and finds environmental arguments being used by both sides in the dispute.

12 Harwell- an environmental disaster Recent contamination of local water supplies is just one of the environmental problems facing the Harwell nuclear research establishment. Government Agencies, argues Paul Mobbs of Banbury Environmental Research Group, seem to be closing ranks, rather than openly dealing with the difficulties.

Beyond the grid 14 The role of small scale alternative energy systems, separate from the grid, is considered by Dave Preece. In the light of his own experiences building an energy efficient house, he indicates the benefits to the individual and society as a whole of a diverse, decentralised, sustainable energy policy.

Profits before safety 16 Direct discharge of untreated radioactive waste from British Nuclear Fuels' Springfields Works, into the River Ribble near Preston, is regarded by Government Agencies as the "best means practicable". Friends of the Earth's Radiation Monitoring Unit Co-ordinator, Nick Cassidy, summarises their findings and calls for an immediate cessation of Springfields' discharges. 18 Hydro power politics In the first of two articles on Scottish hydro-electric power, Pat Agnew, Scottish Green Party speaker on energy, looks at the political and historical background which led to the development of the UK' s only established renewable energy.

December '91/January '92 3 meeting helped to secure the new money: However, this is not the end of the story, Prometheus unfound "Culham certainly helped, but fusion ex­ eventually the fusion plasma should perts already knew fusion would work, so become so hot that the reaction is self APAN, the European Commission they had no problem convincing their sustaining, the so-called ignition point. J (BC), the US and the Soviet Union governments to put up the money. Even 1he temperatures attained are such that have all pledged £7S million towards the Soviets came in without a murmur." the plasma has an irritating tendency to designing a l,OOOMW fusion reactor, On November 9, deuterium and tritium "boil off" some of the materials from the the International Thermonuclear Ex­ gas were heated to around 200 million OC containment vessel walls. Impurities then perimental Reactor (ITER), based on - some ten times hotter than the centre of enter the plasma and shut down the reac­ the findings of the Joint European Torus the sun - in what has been described as tion. In order to prevent this happening a (JET) project at Culham. JET's "historic breakthrough" in head­ 'pumped diverter' is being designed to The funds cover a 6 year period and lines around the world. This led to the alter the shape of the magnetic field cur­ involve a commibnent to establish a 200 reactor generating power for the ftrst time. rently used to control the plasma within strong central research team. While ensur­ It produced a peak of2MW in a pulse that the huge doughnut shaped reactor vessel. ing the short tenn future for fusion, there lasted under 2 seconds. What was the cost It should create a low temperature area, is as yet no commibnent for the full.£2.8 of this momentous achievement? £1 bil­ shielding sensitive areas of the vessel. billion estimated costs of the entire pro­ lion pounds since 1983 and on the day a This, according US fusion pioneer Ed­ ject. Both the US and the Soviets have 700MW pulse of electricity to heat the ward Teller, is like trying to a confine jelly expressed doubts about future involve­ deuterium and tritium. with rubber bands. Powering the magnetic ment. France have also blocked the re­ fields will require about 5 times as much lease of further money from the BC. Unstable power as creating the plasma. Researchers hope to receive the extra This was also the ftrst time a small "We are working for the world. Fusion funding to allow the construction of a amount of tritium had been introduced energy is not for one country or another. commercial scale fusion reactor which, into the fusion equation. This, say the It is done for the world,.. JET director they say, would be ready for commission­ scientists, meant that it was difficult to Paul-Henri Rebut. "It is impossible to tell ing in 2004. However, while it will be maintain stable conditions within the re­ if it will ever be economic, but if we don't commercial scale, by no stretch of the actor. Previously, they enthused, when do the work we shall not have the option... imagination could it be described as a only deuterium had been present it was In the extremely unlikely event fusion commers:ial venture. It will be capable, possible to maintain stable conditions for power ever becomes a reality, Guardian they claim, of producing a peak of as long as one minute. cotrespondent John Vidal hints at its useful­ l,OOOMW for periods up to 1 hour. In­ In a genuinely commercial reactor, which ness on a global scale: ..Fusion, the most deed, it has not yet been established that will not be available until 2040 at the ear­ expensive most inflexible fonn of energy fusion can generate more power than it liest, according to fusion scientists, the idea ever contemplated, will almost certainly be consumes. is for the gaseous deuterium/tritium mix to a non-starter for most of Africa, South Henry Seligman, deputy general of the be SO:SO. Around 700MW is then required America and the East. Fusion offers nothing International Atomic Enet:gy Agency to heat the gas until it fonns a plasma. It is but the imposition of more western-led (IAEA) and architect of JET, believes that in the plasma state that atoms of hydrogen grandiose state-planning - the ill-thought the Culham 'break through' announced fuse, releasing vast amounts of energy, neu­ out dream that reduced so many countries to just a few days before a crucial funding trons and helium. the situation they are in today." 0

Japan's Pu Problem an irresistible target for terrorists. The conducting experiments into blending question of whether or not the ship­ plutonium with uranium to fuel conven­ ments can be adequately protected will tional reactors. y 2010 Japan's plutonium stock­ soon be debated by the Bush Adminis­ Paul Leventhal, director of the Nu­ Bpile will have risen to over 100 tration which has the right to veto the clear Control Institute based in Wash­ tonnes, taking it to the top of the world security plan. This is because the US ington DC, said that even if Japan does "plutonium economy" league supplied the original uranium to fuel not intend to build bombs, its policy will (SCRAM 19). At the International Japanese reactors. still encourage nuclear proliferation: Conference on Plutonium, held in In a move intended to dispel interna­ with a surplus of plutonium and an ad­ Omiya City at the beginning of No­ tional fears of a big expansion in pluto­ vanced missile capability, Japan could vember, delegates were told that the nium use, the Japanese Atomic Energy make nuclear weapons in no time. build up of plutonium was a threat to Commission recently published a re­ Whether or not they intend to produce international disarmament. view of their ·recycling' policy which nuclear weapons, the mere potential to Shipments from Cogema's La Hague stressed a commitment to nuclear non­ do so might encourage an arms race UP3 reprocessing plant are due to begin proliferation and established the prin­ involving neighbouring Korea and next year from Cherbourg. They will be ciple that Japan should not posses more Taiwan, he warned. joined by plutonium from reprocessing plutonium than was needed for fuel re­ Paradoxically, over the last few contracts signed with Cogema of cycling. months Japan has issued calls demand­ France, due to be shipped out from They intend to use plutonium in fast­ ing stronger non-proliferation Cherbourg next year. Added to this, breeder reactors (FBR), a technology measures, including the abandonment contracts signed with British Nuclear which remains unproven. The UK has of reprocessing facilities in North Fuel's Thermal Oxide Reprocessing abandoned its own programme, no de­ Korea, which are believed to be part of Plant (niORP) will result in regular cisions have been taken regarding the Pyongyang 's suspected bomb pro­ voyages from Barrow-in-Fumess. location or fmancing of the European gramme. However, they are building However, as yet the politics and log­ Collaboration, Gennany have closed their own reprocessing facilities at istics of transporting the plutonium to their FBR before it even operated, Tokai-mura, a move which can only Japan remain to be worked out. Some France's breeder is less of a Super Phe­ aggravate the situation especially Japanese and American officials have onix more a dead duck, and Japan's given the extremely low price of suggested that the plutonium may fonn FBR at Monju is brolcm. Japan is aJso uranium on the world market. 0

Sate EtlfllfiY 86 examine the subject. However, James • Aradiationsurveyconductcdby Bangor From here to eternity Coote, of the BNF safety Team, argues umvemty's School of Ocean studies for that •you have to~gnise that any indus­ World in Action revealed that large pans of RESSURE is mounting for British trial activity carries some risk. The risk the westc:ostofBritainisc:ontam:inated with PNuclear Fuels (BNF) to spend £100 from the environmental effects of krypton radionuclides from Sellafield. million on a control system to remove from niORP on the best evidence available Traces of both plutonium and caesium radioactive krypton-SS gas from the are negligible." from Sellafield's reprocessing plant dis­ Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant's 14 years ago theniORP inquiry inspec­ charge pipe were found 300miles away at tor concluded: •It is accepted by BNFL a number of sites in North Uist. While it emissions. that krypton removal plant will be incor­ was previously accepted that the caesium BNF, who are due to apply for a porated if the technology is available for could travel such distances, BNF claimed licence to operate TIIORP in mid-De­ its removal and safe retention is avail­ that the heavier plutonium would sink. cember, have already spent £2 million able ... I consider that BNFL should not -TM caesium, which stays in solution has to pave the way for fitting the system merely stand by and install such a plant travelled a very long way. You can pick it because they fear the Department of the if and when others develop it. They up in the arctic ocean," said t>r David Environment might bow to public pro­ should themselves devote efforts to de­ Assener of Bangor University. test over the issue. velop it." Plutonium and caesium were also found Environmentalists fear that the Coote contends that: "THoRP is a very in a number of other placts, including: 2S large plant ... you would need a very large miles up the Mersey; 7 miles up the Con­ massive amounts of krypton could alter scale clean up plant ... it is not possible to way; in Cardigan Bay; in the river Dee weather patterns and result in an in­ remove krypton at a commercial cost." near Kirkcudbright, which yielded the creased concentration of atmospheric second highest results; and, with the hig­ water vapour, adding to the greenhouse hest levels, the Ravenglass estuary. The effect. Ravenglass estuary is the most radioac­ Physicist Rolland Kollert. who has pro­ tive in Britain, with levels of radioactivity duced a report on the environmental ef­ 8 times those claimed in official figures. fects of radioactive krypton gas for the North Uist local GP, John Macleod, German government, told Granada TV's who first highlighted the problem of cae­ World in Action team.*: •It might reduce sium entering the island's food chain the fair electrical field ... reduction of the (Safe Enerv 85), is calling for a full­ atmospheric electrical field increases the scale Government investigation of the water vapour content of the atmosphere coast lines around the Irish Sea and be­ and consequently strengthens the green­ yond, from Cumbria to the tip of the house effect." He believes BNF's planned Outer Hebrides, including the north and releases constitute a huge experiment north-east of Ireland. with the atmosphere. He said: .. We need to know were else it BNF are cautious, not wishing to fur­ has gone, and to let people know, to assess ther enrage environmentalists, but also what chance there is of it getting into the not wishing to push the £2 billion plant Greenpeace are giving the Nil some food chain.. " 0 further into the realms of economic lu­ teeth for Christmas! cartoon teeth nacy, they have commissioned re­ are also being faxed to the Nil from *"From Here To Eternity". World in searchers at Liverpool University to December 16 (Fax. 071-27272254). Action Granada TV.ITV 8.30pm'1./1'1./91.

By doing so it is gambling with the safety Computer chaos No Accident coalition of thousands of people by putting them at risk of a catastrophic nuclear accident," OMPUTERS at the heart of ,t coalition of 11 anti-nuclear groups reads a leaflet produced by Greenpeace Csafety systems in Britain's nu­ fthas been formed to push for the for the group. clear facilities are to be the subject immediate closure of five of Nuclear • Meanwhile Scottish Nuclear have put of a full-scale Nuclear Installations Electric's (NE) aging Magnox reactors. an end to the continued speculation about Inspectorate (Nil) investigation, fol­ .. No Accident" is demanding the clo­ the future of Hunterston A Magnox sta­ lowing an incident at the Sellafield sure of the power stations at Bradwell tion. It will close. An SN spokesman said reprocessing plant in which a com­ (Essex), Dungeness (Kent), Trawsfy­ the decision, following a 9 month review puter error caused radiation safety nydd (Gwynedd), Sizewell (Suffolk) of the same decision taken by the plant's doors to open accidentally in Sep­ and Hinkley Point (Somerset). Follow­ former owners, the South of Scotland tember. ing the announcement that the Nil has Electricity Board, was taken on economic While the Nil originally passed the given NE until the end of the year to grounds. In short there is no market for its Sellafield software, it was later show that it can control the problem of electricity. This avoids SN becoming em­ broiled in the safety fears over its English amended by British Nuclear Fuels increasingly brittle welds in the Mag­ counter parts. (BNF), who operate the site. BNF did nox pressure vessels (Safe Energy 85), Paradoxically, SN's chair James Hann, not think the alterations had any the group fears there is an imminent has declared that Scotland will need two safety significance, and the Nil are danger of a serious accident at any one new nuclear stations over the next IS also now reviewing their bureaucratic of the stations. years. They will be needed to replace the procedures. -ne reactors were originally designed UK's aging reactor stock. A decision will BNF said the company has com­ to runfor20years. Hinkley point A is now have to be taken within 2 years of the pleted an internal inquiry and will 26 years old. Nuclear Electric want to Government's 1994 nuclear review be­ send the results to the Nil, the continue running the station until it is 35 cause of long construction times: ~e years old. NE is desperate to keep the biggest obstacle we face is public percep­ plant is expected to reopen in mid­ reactor working, despite these safety tion of the industry which we are facing December. 0 problems, to ensure its economic survival. by being more open and frank." 0

December '91/January '92 Ukrainian EnVironment Minister. The Ulaainian Supanc Soviet, admitting Chernobyl shutdown Reactor two will be closed immtdiately, that it laclcs both the technical expeltise and says the U1aai.nian statemenl to the United financial resources to carry out the task, has HERNOBYL'S two remaining re­ Natioos. It describes

T orness transport

ttain carrying the first flask of spent nuclear fuel from A Tomess nuclear power station was dispatched late in the evening on 2 November, under the cover of darkness - there t\\I was no announcement from Scottish Nuclear (SN). Spent fuel flasks are now regularly leaving Tomess bound for Sellafield's reprocessing plant, despite Scottish Nuclear's stated commitment to on-site dry storage, and two incidents involving radioactive contamination of identical flasks leaving Hunterston. On S November radioactive water from one of Hunterston 's cooling ponds was found on the surface of an A2 waste bound for Sellafield. In early October two spots of contamination were discovered on a fuel flask road transporter being prepared for Sellafiel~. Both incidents were given a zero-rating on the Inter­ national Nuclear Events Scale. While the incidents were minor, they exposed sloppiness in Scottish Nuclear's radiation management procedures, according to independent nuclear consultant John Large. Public fears over the emergency services ability to cope with a serious accident involving a nuclear flask were further fuelled by an emergency ex~ise held in Edinburgh at the beginning of October. At a simulated rail collision between a Oas.k and a petroleum tanker, the emergency services failed to respond within the required guidelines set out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA require the flasks to be able to withstand a fiJ'C of 800"C for 30 minutes, it took the fire brigade one and a half hours to rum up. Dr John McKewon, SN's bead of safety, admitted that petroleum can bum at temperature up to 1,400"C. McKewon believes the flask ..is so strong that it will not fail." However, he later added that .. At worst there would be small leak of radioactivity ... but it is my belief that with all credible exercises, no radioactivity would come out." 0 Decontamination shower at the SN axerciM

and SO meters. Remi Pannentier, Green­ Dumping convention peace's delegate to the meeting, called on Uranium market the Soviet countries to give a clear undertak­ UCLEAR waste has been secretly ing that it had stopped nuclear dumping at s the world recession in nuclear plant Ndumped into the sea near NovayaZem­ sea: "The credibility ofthe dumping conven­ Aordering continues todeepen the effects lya, nolth east ofMnrmansk, annoWt<:ed An­ tion is at stake. .. are being felt by the uranium mining indus­ drei Zolotkov, people's deputy to the USSR The Soviets apologised for their actions at try. Energy Resources (ER) of Austtalia, Supreme Soviet for Munnansk, at a press the LDC meeting, where several countries who operate the Ranger mine in the Northern conference held to coincide with the first day are pushing for the moratorium to become a Territory are cutting back their operations. of the annual meeting ofthe London Dump­ permanent ban. However, a number of other 126 of their 302 employees have now been ing Convention (LDC). countries, principally the US are reluctant to made redundant because of the impact of low Despite being a party to the Convention's take this step. They want to keep the option uranium prices. The company said they took moratorium on sea dumping of nuclear ma­ open, in particular because it presents a the decision with "the greatest of reluccance terials, which was agreed in 1983, at least cheap and easy solution to the problem of following an exhalaive reevaluation of the 11,000 containers of radioactive waste have decommissioning nuclear submarines. options ... in the faoeofthesteady deterioration been dispatched to "Davy Jones' Locker.. A statement presenUd to the meeting by of the uranium market." over the last twenty years. Some of the con­ bland, Sweden, Norway, F'mland and Den­ Less than a handful of world uranium tainers, with both civil and military waste, mark wams "1hcre is growing coooem among mines now operate at a profit. 'Yellowcake' had been hermetically sealed and refused to seve.ral nations that plans are being made to (U30a) prices on the world spot marbt have sink, so the Soviets drilled boles in them. dump deoornJnissklne ordemolished nuclear fallen to about US$7.60 alb compared with Zolotkov also revealed that a reactor, weapons or naval vessels into the sea ... The a peak of $43.40 in 1978. ER's decision is which had not been defuelled, from the disposal of these wastes sbould be canied out the "unavoidable first step in a plan to reduce Lenin nuclear ice-breaker had also been on land in ~ to secure total isolation from annual production to a level more cloeely dumped in the sea at a depth of between 40 the biospbele... 0 aligned to forecast sales... 0

Safe Energy 86 either using one of the more advanced claimed a 60-year life for its reactor press­ Nuclear's fresh start? overseas reactors (likely to require a pub­ ure vessel and the ability to .. load follow" lic inquiry because it would be a ..fust of by increasing or reducing power. West­ HERE was plenty of talk, but not a kindj, or waiting for one of the new inghouse, with the hardest sell of all, de­ Tmuch hard evidence that the nu­ generation of reactors, which were likely scribed its novel systems for literally clear industry is about to turn a corner to involve international cooperation and flooding the reactor with water after an at the .. Nuclear Power: A Fresh Start" investment. .. H we order a different design accident, rather than relying on multiple conference, organised by me Techni­ PWR, its likely to mean a substantial valves to be opened... It will take a new cal Services and held in London in delay after 1994," he warned. type of deign to revitalise the industry," November, writes Crispin Aubrey. This order of priorities was confmned according to the company's Bob Bruce. Latest in a series of revival-style con­ by Brian George, in charge of the Sizewell All the new designs place their main em­ ferences. the talk this time came from about project, who said later that NE was look­ phasis on prevention and/or mitigation of 200 representatives of the international nu­ ing at a two stage process. "The first stage severe accidents. clear community (95% male), including top - if we can get away with it - is to build One important theme ran through all managers from many of the major reactor some Sizewell replicas. Then we can go these presentations, however. This was manufacturers who hope to fill their produc­ for an international design." the problems that any new design is likely tion lines ifthe turnaround does happen. But Much of the event ran like a sales pitch to face in getting a UK. licence - clearly there were no open cheque books or orders for the new reactors which could fill NE's seen as one of the tougher regulatory nuts being taken, despite the upbeat tone ofsome second and third options. Front-runners for to crack. Most reactor manufacturers of the speeches. the second option were Siemens' ·eonvoy' thought the strictures of the British system Nuclear Electric's John Collier led the and Framatome's 'N4' models, already would increase their prices. The Nuclear assault, claiming that the Government's under construction, followed by the Ameri­ Installations Inspectorate is already start­ 1989 moratorium on nuclear construction can/Japanese 'Advanced' PWRs and the ing to examine the new French and Ger­ was a .. very helpful event in some ways", 'System 80+' being promoted in the US by man designs. a spur to put their house in order... We face Asea Brown Boveri (ABB). All claim to be There was one other home truth under­ a massive task to regain public con­ 'advanced' versions of the PWR. lying the proceedings. Although ABB re­ fidence," he nonetheless admitted. Tem­ ported orders for its designs in Korea, pering the previous hype over NE's first Longer shots Siemens was looking to Finland, Frama­ full year's accounts (1990/91), he re­ The longer shots described by their pro­ tome to Taiwan, there is very little activity minded the audience that half of NE's moters were the Westinghouse AP600, an around the world in terms of confirmed income came from the fossil fuel levy, example of the so-called 'passive' reac­ new orders. Brian George summed up the while saying the £10 billion of liabilities tors which require little human interven­ problem: .. most of our energy over the inherited from the CEGB was a .. very tion even in a crisis, and a Franco-German next few years must be used to win the large millstone round our neck". His trio joint project through Nuclear Power Inter­ hearts and minds of the public." of prerequisites for .. a fresh start" were national (NPI). Outside the conference hotel on the flfStly, better performance from existing Predictably, most claimed something opening day, there was ample evidence of reactors, secondly, completion of Size­ special over their rivals. ABB's Marketing hearts to be won over. About 30 people well B to time, and thirdly progress on the Director, Richard Knapp, said their's was from various anti-nuclear groups, includ­ N1REX deep repository. the only advanced PWR being considered ing Shut Down Sizewell, demonstrated in Collier also gave some insight toNE's by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission front of a large banner cleverly mimicking approach to the promised 1994 review of for final approval: .. We believe that the US the conference literature, reading nuclear power. The top priority (and low­ may once again become the worlds largest •Nuclear Power: A Dead End'. Two pro­ est) risk would be to work on and improve market place for nuclear plant." testers also penetrated the proceedings the design of Sizewell B, he said, cutting A representative for Electricite de France momentarily to shout a slogan about construction cost and aiming for the 80% spoke of stronger containment structures Chemobyl. Conference chairman Sam plant availability now claimed for 2 simi­ and a special pit underneath the reactor Goddard of NE gave the protest a back lar US PWRs. This design would be of­ called a •core catcher', while Mitsabushi handed compliment by saying that '"the fered for at least the Hinkley and Sizewell offered shorter construction times. importance of the occasion has even got C proposals. After that, it was a choice of Of the 'new generation' designs, NPI to our opponents." 0

an important ingredient of the new group, shortly be inviting other organisations to Antt-dump network not only as their village is in the very front affiliate, thus securing the expertise and line of the Nirex attack, but also true local muscle of national groups such as Green­ LL manner of individuals, groups opposition is hard for the industry to re­ peace and FoE who have already agreed Aand organisation share the com­ sist. Indeed many of the members actually to cooperate. mon purpose of opposing Nirex•s plans work at the Sellafield plant. Input from In the long-tenn it is intended that the for a deep underground nuclear waste SAND is also vital, they have already committee will form the basis of a fully dump. To channel this collective oppo­ successfully locked horns with Nirex at fledged group required to speak with sition into an effective fighting force to Dounreay. CARD fulfils the role as the one voice in opposition to the indus­ challenge Nirex every step of the way, vehicle which will carry the objections of try's dump plan at the Public Inquiry a new umbrella group has been fonned, those around the country who are not op­ scheduled for 1993, or at the Special writes Martin Forwood. posed to Sellafield's day-to-day activities Inquiry Commission being called for A Steering Committee was recently setup but strongly object to the dump. FoE by Cumbria County Council. 0 - involving Cumbrians Against a Radio­ Cumbria have an active energy campaign active Environment, Cumbrians Against and CORE continues with its 11 year cam­ Anyone wishing to donate towards the Radioactive Dumping, the Gosforth Action paign against reprocessing activities at campaign, or requiring further informa­ Group (acting for local villagers), Cumbrian Sellafield - the root cost of nuclear waste tion should contact: friends of the Earth and Scotland Against production. Chris Sinton, Steering Committee Nuclear Dumping- to take on the initial role Intended to be a •behind the scenes' Secretary,Natiooai Anti-Dump Network, offormulating a strategy that will topple the body, acting as an information gathering 98 Church Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Nirex proposal. and dissemination centre in the first in­ Cumbria LA14 2HT. Tel: 0219 833851, The Gosforth Action Group is seen as stance, the Steering Committee will Fax 0219 812239.

December '91/January '92 Following the Chemobyl disaster, European Community government's, including the UK, agreed a Directive calling for an extensive public information campaign on the possible consequences of radiological emergencies. That Directive should have been built into UK legislation on November 28, two years after it was agreed in Brussels, it was not. MIKE TOWNSLEY reports on the Directive and threatened legal action by the Nuclear Free Local Authorities. UK flouts EC radhealth Directive

"The Citizen's Cluarter is a testament ofour primarily instructive and n aimed at radioactivity which are likely to be beliefin people's right to be informed ... " reassuring the general public that detrimental to public health in that John Major, Prime Minister. emergency plans exist." It must be Member State. credible, and the "information for the 1he relevant level of danger is defined as HERNOBYL clearly illustrated population living near an installation "any situation likely to result in the the chaos and confusion that should cover ... the unlikely possibility general public receiving a dose during a C can occur following a nuclear of an accident having any impact on the period of one year following the accident accident. In an attempt to pre-empt population." It should also specify the of SmSv.'' While this confonns to the any repetition of widespread public means used to "give alert." current International Atomic Energy panic, if such a disaster was to happen Agency recommendation, it is 10 times again, the European Commission has In providing such information it will be higher than that promoted by the UK's issued a Directive (89/618/Euratom) difficult for governments to overcome National Radiological Protection Board. on "Informing the General Public the public distrust of official about Health Protection Measures to information. A survey carried out 1he Directive also highlights a number be applied and Steps to be taken in the around the Berkeley nuclear power of nuclear activities for the attention of Event of a Radiological Emergency." station in Gloucestershire found that the information campaign: 75% of the population would not follow • any nuclear reactor, wherever located; Due to have been transposed into UK law official advice to shelter in the event of • any other nuclear-fuel-cycle facility; by November 28 of this year, it calls for an accident but would evacuate • any radioactive waste management "the population likely to be affected in the immediately using their own transport. facility; event of radiological emergency" to be The swvey also found that the basic facts • the transport and storage of nuclear given information about the health about the nature of radioactivity and its fuels or radioactive wastes; protection measures "applicable to it and effects were not well understood. • the manufacture, use, storage, about action it should take in the event of disposal and transport of such an emergency." 1he Conuniasion Radiation protection radioisotopes for agriculture, stresses that wherever possible prior industrial, medical and related information should be given. It is also important to give information scientific and research purposes; and on radiation protection, say the • the use of radioisotopes for power It defines the "population likely to be Commission, not just in relation to generation in space vehicles. affected" as any population group for nuclear energy but "covering all There is nothing in the Directive to "which Member States have drawn up radiation sources that may give rise to suggest that it covers only the civil intervention plans in the event of a a radiological emergency." nuclear industry, indeed explicit radiological emergency." 1he UK has references are made to "any nuclear many such plans covering a wide number They suggest that the public reactor" and "any other nuclear fuel of different populations. Of particular information should include: cycle facility." Therefore, argue the note is the Department of Environment's • explanations of 1 activity' and 1 dose'; Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA), National Response Plan for dealing with • the scientific units covered, with these it is reasonable "to conclude that overseas nuclear accidents, which covers quantities concepts (mention only submarine reactor accidents, aeroplane the entire population; it follows, that the Bequerels and Sieverts); or surface or sub-surface ship accidents entire population should receive certain • a comparison between natural involving nuclear weapons, accidents at information. radioactivity and artificial sites involved with nuclear weapons or radioactivity; components, are all covered by the Itemised in Annex 1 of the Directive, • explanations of the difference Directive."· this information must include: between irradiation and • basic facts about radioactivity and its contamination; Transport effects on human beings and on the • explanations of the difference environment; between immediate effects and When considering accidents involving • the various types of radiological delayed effects; and the transport of nuclear material, be emergency and their consequences for • description of pathways to man they civil or military, it would be the general public and the including transfer through food chain. reasonable to suggest that under the environment; Article 2 of the Directive lists situations Directive everyone along the route • emergency measures envisaged to which could give rise to the 0 relevant should be informed of the possible alert, protect and assist the general level of danger" for which public dangers. However, the extent of nuclear public in the event of a radiological information should be available. They materials transport throughout the UK emergency; and include: is such that almost everyone is within • appropriate information on action to • an accident in the territory of a range of being affected by an accident. be taken by the general public in the Member State involving facilities or Information on the dangers of event of radiological emergency. activities which involve a significant transporting radioactive materials should A Commission briefing designed to aid release of radioactive material; or therefore be supplied to every household. member states in adopting the Directive • the detection, within or outside its advises that this information should be own territory, of abnormal levels of However, the UK Health and Safety

8 Safe Energy 86 Executive (HSE) rejects this last point example] changes affecting the system claiming that convoys would not be of alert1 the protection measures and the affected because leaks were not area covered by the intervention plan." expected to exceed 5mSv. The pat answer to which is, Chernobyl was not Current procedures in the UK for expected to explode, nor was Windscale informing the public in the event of a expected to bum. nuclear accident were heavily criticised by Michael Bames QC, the Inspector at Although the Directive dictates that the Hinkley Point C public inquiry: certain information should be provided it "Aspects of providing information to the leaves the member government to decide public after an emergency ... seemed to be how. The Commission does however confused and unsatisfactoey." Bameswas offer instruction, arguing that any policy particularly worried about the lack of a for providing information to the general planned response to public enquiries, public must ensure a high degree of pointing out that there was no cooperation between national regional organisation with specific responsibility and local authorities and plant operators. and no pre-planned arrangements to They also suggest that information could publicise a telephone number and receive be provided as part of the curricula enquiries. The Directive offers the adopted in schools. The use of television, opportunity to rectify this situation. newspapers, exhibitions and public meetings is also promoted. The Directive In the event of an accident the also specify's the need for a pennanent population affected is to be informed source of information. without delay of: Nuclear Free Local Authorities report • the facts of the emergency; Emergency planning criteria around • the steps to be taken; and "Ministers at Energy, Environment, nuclear installation is erratic according • the appropriate health protection Health, Defence, Agriculture and the to a recent report from the Scottish measures. Home, Scottish and Welsh Offices are Consumers Council (SCq. In a recent all flouting citizen's rights." survey of public information provided Legal action by four SCottish stations - Dounreay, They have submitted a detailed Tomess, Hunterston and Chapelcross - Given the UK's record of adhering to complaint to Carlo Ripa de Mina, the they found that while Dounreay has a EC Directives it comes as no surprise EC Commissioner for Environment, 3 mile emergency planning zone, at that this one has not been enacted. Nuclear Safety and Civil protection, Tomess the zone has a 3km radius. asking the EC to enforce the directive Information available in emergency Indeed the HSE admitted that the "for the benefit of UK citizens." procedure handbooks also varies and neces5a1Y consultation document, which copies are not always available. will form the basis of Britain's statutoey A number of member authorities are response, was not yet ready. It is believed also considering taking legal action, Confusion that the document will be focussing on "Particularly following last weeks EC three main issues: prior information to court ruling that the UK can be sued in "An accident at any of these at-risk areas, information to local its own courts for damages for failing installations could affect many people residents it an incident happens, and to implement agreed EC laws." living nearby. Their safety would information to emergency staff. It is also largely depend on how well informed believed that transport dangers have been Will Herald, Vice-Chair of the NFLA they were about what to do", says rejected as "emotive" rather than "real", National Steering Committee, said:"After Deirdrie Hutton, chair of the SCC. The allowing them to back away from the 1957 Windscale accident, Macmillan stations all provide information on producing public information on the ordered: 'Nothing must be published emergency procedures to residents transports of Highly Enriched Uranium without my seeing and approving it.' The living nearby, however, the handbooks to Dounreay, for example. failure to comply with this directive do not always contain enough suggests not much has changed, and calls information, and in some cases are "We haven't had enough time", is the once more into question whether difficult to read and badly laid out. official reason for Government failure. confidence can be placed in the nuclear When sec volunteers where asked what "Certain member states can just wait for weapons or nuclear energy industries, or they should take with them it they had to translation of directives and then slam Government" evacuate their homes, those who had read them directly onto the law books. Because the Dounreay handbook said they would we have a parliamentary system and look For this reason the NFLAs have take clothes, medicines, valuables, and closely at the effects on various issues, and published the most detailed map personal effects. Those with the Tomess becausewealreadyhave health and safety currently available combining handbook gave highest priority to clothes legislation it obviously takes longer," information on both military and and toiletries, whereas most of those with comes the full Government excuse. civilian nuclear hazards including the the

DecembM '91/JIInuaty '92 9 Both sides in the argument over the completion of the Czechoslovakian hydro-electric scheme, at Gabcicovo on the Danube, are claiming environmental credentials. BRIDGET GUBBINS*, having visited the site, reports on the latest developments. Danube dam damned

OP Czechoslovakian hydro­ hydro-power. We have to pay for this, In July 1991 they decided to activate power engineer Miroslav Liska, to find a suitable compromise. It is a continuous protests against the T of state-owned Hydroconsult, balance between what you lose and commencement of a new phase of the is annoyed and frustrated. The joint what you gain." hydro-project. Which involves the Czechoslovakian/Hungarian Treaty pumping of the water from the Danube of 1979, to build a hydroelectric He complains bitterly about the to a new course into the 17km channel complex on the Danube, is having attention-seeking environmentalists. to the Gabcicovo dam. Changing the endless problems. The latest difficulty "Dissidents chose this project as a tool course of the river will dry out the 25km is the environmentalists, both from to overthrow the regime in Hungary, it network of shallows and islands below within Czechoslovakia and the aroused feelings against the this point. It will also divert the Danube neighbouring countries of Austria and government. Now they are doing the into the territory of Slovakia, away from Hungary. same in Slovakia. I call them Green its present course as the border between Totalitarians. They oppose the project to Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Environmentalists are working with the gain political power. They are not local population to oppose the Slovak constructive." On the day when pumping was to part of the scheme. begin, a march took place from Cilistov, Opposition groups present a diversity near Sunorin, to the pumping barge at Uska has nurtured his project through of views which contrast with Engineer the point where the channel joins the three decades. Plans for the dams Liska's. Among them are those Danube. Banners in Hungarian and originated as long ago as 1958, with the committed to the principles of the Slovakian declare "NOBODY MUST first design being produced in 1969. Danube Charter, launched in 1990. The STEAL OUR DANUBE" and When Hungary cancelled its part in the Charter aims to encourage a regional "MEMORIAL OF STALINISM." World plan in 1989, for environmental and identity for the people of the Central Wide Fund for Nature green panda political reasons, the Czechoslovakian Danube countries of Austria, banners were also prominent. government decided to continu~ their Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Instead part of the project. of the errors of the old Communist At the site, Klara Bencocova of planning system and the Western EuroChain called for volunteers from Uska claims the project is green and economic system, it promotes a the crowd to break through the police economic: "The hydro-engineers are the sustainable economy under local cordon guarding the barge. While she original environmentalists. We called control, and the re-evaluation of did so, in a well organised move a for hydro-electricity instead of development projects like the group of activists appeared from nearby coal-burning plants. There were many Gabcicovo dam. bushes. Yelling, they charged along the false calculations made in th~ pipes to the pumping barge, diverting economics of coal burning. Subsidies to Nature Park the police's attention, and enabling coal-mining and the consequences to those from the crowd to break through the environment were ignored. It is so Austrian activists can be seen on the police cordon and run to the barge dirty that in some places whole towns demonstrations and blockades against as well. The crowd on the march, had to be evacuated. In Slovakia, if we Gabcicovo. Miroslav Uska objects to mainly people from nearby villages and complete the Gabcicovo dam, up to 30% their interference. "Eighty per cent of towns, cheered jubilantly at their of our electricity would be generated by the Danube in Austria is controlled by success. clean hydro-power. There will also be nine hydroelectric dams. They are benefits of flood control and improved happy to have theirs. Then they come After several hours of occupation, navigation." here to preach to us to stop our only police vans arrived and the long one." procedure of removing the protesters The area in question, 100km began. Villagers who had cheered the downstream from Bratislava, consists of But Katharina Nenxing of Vienna's occupiers shouted angrily whenever the a 60 km2 storage lake, and a 17km Global 2000 group says: "We have police got rough. They don't like the channel leading to the hydro-electric protested against dams in Austria too, police in their new democratic state to dam at Gabcicovo. The Danube through successfully at Hainburg, unsuccess­ manhandle people. most of its course is tame, throughout fully at Freudenau dam this year. The Germany and Austria it is dull and Danube is international. We want to All the occupiers of the barge were grey, flowing between concrete save what is left of its unique taken to the nearby police station for embankments. But here the Danube eco-system and form a three-nation questioning. Twelve Austrians had sparkles and dances between wooded Danube Nature Park." their passports stamped, forbidding islands. It is a wildlife haven. return to Czechoslovakia for two years. Two years on from the fall of the Admitting there are environmental Communist state, members of the Jaroslav Sibl, a lecturer in costs, Uska says: "Of course there were Slovakian Green Party and the environmental science. in Bratislava, large construction works. We had to Slovakian Union of Nature and was one of the barge occupiers: "Before remove thousands of cubic metres of Landscape Protectors (SZOPK) are the revolution in November 1989, it was topsoil. But people want to live and quickly developing the skills of forbidden to protest against Gabcicovo. have electricity, the clean energy of environmental c:ampaigning. It was considered a crime against the

10 Safe Energy 86 state. Only a few of my friends did it." Laughing, he added: "Now some of them are MPs."

What does he want to see done with the mammoth 100km long construction of dikes, excavated storage lake and dam? "I am not so crazy as to ask for a complete restoration of the landscape. But we can adjust it. We can plant trees; a lot are growing already in the gravel where the topsoil has been removed. We can make lakes, use the area for recreation. fishing, in a semi-natural environment As for the dam. its 1,500,00> cubic metres of concrete will have to stay as a monument to the stupidity of the past. But it only covers a small area, 56 hectares. Compared with other destroyed areas in Czechoslovakia, it is small."

On the navigation benefits, he says: "We either build larger boats, dig the who lives here is opposed, Slovakians how the water would behave, flowing Danube deeper and build locks. Or we as well as Hungarians." so high above the level of our village." accept natural limits, build smaller boats and have less traffic. In Western Engineer Babej is the vice-mayor of the Engineer Liska is sceptical. "Existing Europe, lots of traffic moves around town of Samorin. He leads marches and dikes allow water to pass through, and without any acceptable sense. We don't speaks in public against the dam. He at times have collapsed and there have want the same thing to happen here." claims that construction workers stole been terrible floods. We have so much material from the dikes that constructed the new dikes with Regarding the benefits of whole villages were built from it, and impervious layers, and built hydro-electricity he says: "Electricity that it will not be safe to live nearby. underground walls. The villages are consumption is expected to increase by safer than before." about 5% over the next 1 to 2 years. Liska disputes this: "These are ignorant Gabcicovo would take care of one year's claims. He does not realise that we a~ green electricity, or destruction of expected increase in consumption. It's checked the quality of the work done. a unique water woodland ~ystem? not worth it. Far better to improve our This man as an electrical engineer is Irritating environmentalists with political industries, so they use electricity more professionally zero. He is trying to ambitions or concerned campaigners for efficiently." make his career out of opposition to the a sustainable future? In the new dams." democratic Czechoslovakia, these EuroChain arguments are typified in the struggle Three villages are trapped between the surrounding the Gabcicovo issue. Local residents on the northern shore of existing course of the Danube and the the Danube helplessly watched their channel into which it will be diverted. Liska laments: "Now, just when we are beautiful water-woodlands being Agnes Hodeghety lives in ready to reap the fruits of the years of destroyed during the years of the Vojka-on-the-Danube: "It is like living investment, environmentalists want to Communist regime. Now their in a prison. The children go to school in stop it. Since 1989, people use the opposition is out in the open. I

Dec•ml»r 'fi1/January '92 11 Environmental problems at the Harwell nuclear research establishment are many and varied. PAUL MOBBS, of Banbury Environmental Research Group, argues for an open and comprehensive overhaul of procedures at the site. Harwell-an environmental disaster

ARWELL'S problems have mobilise as much radioactive material association with the Nuclear not stopped with the closure as chemical contaminants. Secondly, Installations Inspectorate (NII), the H of it's two materials testing more than 3,000 gallons of water per National Radiological Protection Board, reactors, Dido and Pluto, at the end of day will be abstracted from beneath the and the DoEn, to ensure the best March last year (SCRAM 76). Harwell site. As the local water table is possible programme. Recently, the contamination of the already low through abstraction for local water supply has becomea major drinking water, this could have Due to the lack of regulation over the issue. The site also houses one of the significant effects on the local years, waste management and disposal largest collections of intermediate environment and agriculture. practices at Harwell have relied on level nuclear waste in southern patching together schemes which, it England, and there is also the question In February 1989 it was announced that was hoped, would get rid of their of decommissioning all the nuclear the PLUTO reactor would be shut down wastes without causing contamination. facilities on site - a problem as yet and clecommissioned. This would allow This has clearly failed. without a fully thouglit out solution. Harwe11 to develop further its expertise in decommissioning, according to the Harwell buried quantities of low-level In Banbury Environmental Research press release. However, they have no waste on site. Later, and to the present Group's CBERG) 1st report on safety at practical experience in decommis­ day, they incinerated low-level wastes Harwell(l) it was stated that local sioning reactors. The only such and sent the radioactive ash to Origg. geological conditions led to a strong experience within the UI

12 Safe Energy 86 cannot be justified because of the dose which would be incurred by the workers. If the drums were soon to be sent to the NIREX repository, then this would be true. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has criticised NlREX's repository design and proposed construction methods, so the completion date for the project may be put back many years. How much longer will these drums be stored at Harwell? The earliest guesstimate is unti12010.

Serious consideration should be given to immediately repaclcaging them all. Due to coJTOSion and seepage, many clrums will have to be over-paclcaged - many already have. Surely it is more sensible to repackage a drum before it starts leaking, rather than after it starts leaking contaminating the surrounding The 0100 material• t.. ttng reactor et Herwell area and the repackaging workforce. if all facilities are covered by civil building faults. Are the two events Decommissioning active plant will also regulations, or whether certain sections linked? The Al building at add to the problems of waste. Only are run with military standards either Aldermaston, which made the Polaris recently another building was part or all of the time. The use of the warheads, does not have the capacity to constructed on site to take intermediate­ Harwell facilities by the MoD for the make all512 warheads by the time they level waste genemted by the cleanup machining of plutonium must be will be required for service. Will and initial decommissioning of the scrutinised. As a civil organisation, the Harwell conduct some of this work to reactors. Rumour has it that this UI

O.C.mber '01/.Mnwry '02 13 After his experience of building an energy efficient house without professional assistance or previous construction experience, DAVE PREECE is now seeking greater use of easily understandable a,nd affordable energy systems. Beyond the grid

O one should now doubt, (if not yet in Scotland) ensures the Althousht you can now build or buy given the increase of elec­ future of this technology. The wind generators that demand almost N tricity rrovision under the smallest, stand alone systems have yet constant maintenance and repair, non-fossil fue obligation (NFFO), to receive the attention they deserve. most modern small wind turbines are that renewables are viable replace­ effective, reliable and reasonably ments for existing technologies. Why have a stand alone system? The priced. However, attention remains reasons are many: cost, reliability, focussed on large scale renewables moral objection to connection to a Reliability doesn't stop with the as a direct alternative to nuclear nuclear supplied grid, objections to generating equipment. Unpredictable power and fossil fuel power sta­ electricity privatisation or to power surges and power outs, due to tions feeding the national grid. All centralised control of energy. transmission faults, are a fact of life in well and good., but this is only part rural areas even for those with a grid of the story. Unlike fossil fuels and A grid connection can be ridiculously connection. Power surges are a nuclear power, many renewables expensive. A connection within 100 particular concern since they may lend themselves to small scale metres of an existing transformer can have an unpredictable, even application under local or individ­ costover£1000, and you will have to dig damaging, effect on micro-processor ual control. and backfill the trench yourself. If you control equipment which may be used agree to use more electricity you may with energy efficient heating systems. Wind, sun and water are widely get a cheaper connection. Perhaps this is available, to the extent that the most commereially justifiable, but shouldn't The moral and political arguments efficient use of these resources may our electricity suppliers have a against grid connection must speak depend on the development of small commitment to energy conservation? In for themselves. The arguments scale applications. Hopefully the the north of Scotland where our against electricity generation, future will see a diversification and cheapest electricity comes from centralised control, privatisation and decentralisation of energy, in many mature hydro schemes, increased so on are many and complex. The grid cases moving away from the all energy demand leads to greater itself, however, in some form, is embracing grid, towards an integrated reliance on more expensively essential while we have cities and energy strategy based on small scale generated electricity from elsewhere. industrial regions. renewables. The aim, where possible, is In any case, it is not necessary to live to maximise the use of locally available far from a power line before the high Unfortunately, the decision to install a resources to satisfy local need. The cost of grid connection becomes stand alone system is not free of excess- energy from such local schemes excessive compared to the purchase bureaucracy. Local authority building cou.ld be combined with power cost of a stand alone system. regulations (at least in Scotland) tend generation from large scale schemes, to assume a grid connection, and some such as the existing Scottish hydro and Reliability careful negotiation may be needed to the proposed Skye barrage via a much obtain building consent with a stand reduced grid, and used to provide But, are stand alone systems reliable? alone system, although the further energy for urban and industrial areas Yes. Small hydro generators have from the grid you are the easier this unable to supply their own needs. been in use for many years. A thirty will be. For a single house, planning year old private plant near Inverness permission is unlikely to be a problem. Island communities have been only ceased working recently (forcing Planning officers are usually helpful successful in developing small scale grid connection) when a locally towards small projects if approached power schemes, as on Foula. Why opposed new conifer plantation properly, but it is worth remembering shouldn't such schemes be relevant disrupted the water supply. Small that your neighbours have a say and to remote mainland communities? hydro systems are well established, the final word lies with a council And there are always isolated use existing technology and, as long as committee. Building Societies and properties where a stand alone the necessary water supply can be Banks may be a different matter. The power supply will be cheaper, and guaranteed, are reliable. valuer likes to see mains electricity often more reliable, than a grid available when you try to borrow connection. Wind generators were in use for a long money for a house. This will time (there is a pre-grid wind hopefully change as renewables The necessary technology already generator exhibited at the Laidhay become more established. exists. Large scale technologies are Crofting Museum, Sutherland), before reasonably well catered for, if still being pushed aside by the Mostoftheequipmentnecessaryfora criminally underfunded. Smaller development of a national grid, but stand alone system is available from schemes serving the grid are also they had a reputation for being several companies who deal in a range becoming established, the commercial reliable. Fortunately, despite the lack of equipment, such as Wind and Sun, interest encouraged by the non-fossil of official interest and funding; Low Energy Supply Systems and fuel obligation in England and Wales technology moves on. Island Energy. Dealing with one of

14 Safe Enelfly 86 these companies has the advantage that you are able to obtain advice on a range of equipment from different ///~AYOTEC manufacturers. However, you (or the company you buy from) will also have ENGINEERING to match equipment, which may be from different manufacturers, to suit LOW your system. ENERGY For small wind turbines, three SUPPLY ISLAND companies names recur: Aerotron, Wind & Sun SYSTEMS Marlec Engineering and Proven Safe Energy Supplies ENERGY Engineering. Of these, Marlec and Aerotron produce small turbines suitable for 12 and 24 volt battery charging which could provide basic low voltage lighting for a small house. While the Marlec and Aerotron -AEROTROf\r- generators may appear flimsy they have been well proven over a number of years, and offer a lightweight, easily cooking could make a significant To ignore the benefits of passive solar installed option for low voltage contribution to local energy needs, and woody biomass is simply to electricity. Proven Engineering offer a while producing considerably less squander a continually renewable stand alone package based around a methane than the same material left to resource. Increased use of passive solidly engineered lkW aerogenerator decompose, reducing greenhouse gas solar and increased insulation in all which would provide all the emissions. It is foolish not to use this houses, town and country, would electricity needs of a house, except for resource where it is available. Also, reduce the need for other energy heating, at the normal 240 volts AC. the work involved in cutting, splitting inputs and produce tangible Developed over nine years, the and drying encourages an awareness improvements in the quality of Proven wind turbine and associated of energy conservation and energy housing. control equipment has withstood the efficient house design. severest Scottish weather. Increased use of small scale Perhaps you may even consider the generating plant reduces the need for Small hydro possibilities of solar power, the easiest the extensive infrastructure of the application of which must be to build grid. Conversely, decreased demand Small scale hydro, despite the well a conservatory, or even a porch, on the on the grid would allow necessary established technology, is perhaps less south side of your house. Far more extra provision to be met by fewer attractive than a wind turbine because can, and should, be done with new large generating stations. of the amount of preparatory work housing design, but the simple involved in ensuring an adequate conservatory can make a significant In short, the smallstandalonesystemhas water supply. However, those willing contribution to heating costs, possibly an essential role in an energy strategy to tackle such an installation can look providing all the necessary space based on renewables. Not a replacement forward to an extremely reliable heating in the summer months. If for the grid, or even a simple alternative electricity supply. Island Energy can summer space heating is provided by to the grid, but a necessary and integral supply small scale hydro plant as well passive solar, why not consider solar part of a diverse, decentralised and as a full range of other generating water heating? sustainable energy policy. 0 equipment. Several companies now offer solar For further information: But why limit ourselves to electricity water heating systems which should WIND & SUN, The Howe, Watlington, generation? Diversification, whether be effective anywhere in the UK, Oxford OX9 SEX or not connected to the grid, potentially providing all of your encourages the use of other energy summer water heating needs and a LOW ENERGY SUPPLY SYSTEMS, 84 sources and enables the matching of the significant winter contribution, for Colston Street; Bristol BSl SB.B grade or quality of energy to the service example in pre-heating water. ISLAND ENERGY, 1 Church Road, required. Heating is often the area Weatherwise Solar manufacture a Erln, Isle of Man where small scale electricity generation basic flat plate collector (with a ten falls down. But why depend on year guarantee) and supply kits for MARLEC ENGINEERING, Unit K, electricity for heating when alternatives DIY installation. Rayotec offer the Cavendish Courtyard, Swallow Road, are available? Heating is exactly the area high-tee 'Thermomax' solar collector, Corby NN171D2 again available as a DIY kit, and where solar energy and woody biomass AEROTRON, Easter Achlea, Duneaves come into their own. claiming significantly increased Road, Aberfeldy, Tayside PH15 2LS efficiency over flat plate collectors. Particularly in rural areas, large PROVEN ~GINEERING, Moorfield amounts of waste wood are left to rot. It is perhaps significant that to write Industrial Estate, Kilmarnock KA2 OBA Oeared forestry, and wind thrown about one form of sustainable energy WEAmERWISE SOLAR, The Park, without mentioning others is difficult. trees in particular are abandoned Forres IV36 OT2 because of the economic cost of An energy policy based on local needs clearing the waste. Burning this would, of necessity, encourage RAYOTEC, London Road, Sunning­ resources for space heating and diversity in the technology applied. daleSLSODJ

December '91/January '92 15 Discharges into the River Ribble, from the Springfields Works of British Nuclear Fuels, are causing concern. NICK CASSIDY, Friends of the Earth's Radiation Monitoring Unit Coordinator, reports on FoE data from the river, and calls for an immediate cessation of Springfields' discharges. Profits before safety

RITISH Nuclear Fuels Spring­ emitting decay products dominate the for this argument to MAFF and HMIP fields Works discharges un­ waste stream. Thorium-234 (Th-234) as part of the reauthorisation process, it Btreated radioactive waste into has a half life of 24.1 days and decays also specified that the document should the River Ribble in Lancashire, just 7 into protactinium-234m (Pa-234m) not be made available to the public. km downstream from Preston. Dur­ with a half life of 1.18 minutes. ing a recent survey, the Friends of The new authorisation which was the Earth (FoE) Radiation Mon­ Otherradionuclides present in the UOC issued by MAFF and HMIP permits itoring Unit found high levels of con­ waste stream are uranium-234 (U-234), BNFL to continue to operate this tamination in the river, particularly uranium-235 (U-235), thorium-230 discharge policy thereby indicating in the Preston area, which have not (Th-230) and thorium-232 (Th-232) and MAFF's and HMIP's acceptance and been documented in the official its daughters. All of these radio­ approval of it. monitoring programmes. nuclides have very long half lives and decay with the emission of alpha This interpretation of BPM is made all Nuclear fuels have been fabricated at particles. Although discharged in lower the more absurd given that Springfields since 1958, servicing both quantities than the beta emitters technology is readily available to the UK defence and civil nuclear mentioned above, alpha emitters may reduce the radioactivity of the power programmes. In addition, some have very serious implications if discharges, and is in fact already in use of the fuel products are exported. inhaled or ingested. by the UK Atomic Energy Authority which has operated a laboratory on The fuel fabrication process generates Discharge increase the Springfields site for some years. large quantities of liquid radioactive waste. Since 1978, Springfields has During 1991, Springfields' liquid The technology is simple. The short half discharged more beta emitting discharge authorisation was reviewed life of Th-234 and Pa-234 merely radionuclides, excluding tritium, than by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of requires that the effluent be stored in any other UK nuclear site, except Pollution (HMIP) and the Ministry of delay tanks for a period of months Sellafield. Since 1988, its beta Agriculture, Fisheries and Food before discharge. If the tanks were discharges, excluding tritium, have (MAFF). The new authorisation sufficiently well shielded, radiation been higher than from Sellafield. which came into effect on October 1 doses to operators could be kept to a 1991, specifies lower discharge limits minimum. Unfortunately, this Although other processes performed for both alpha and beta emitting procedure is unable to remove or at the Works produce significant radionuclides than its predecessor but decrease the levels of the long lived amounts of radioactive waste, the vast is unlikely to have any effect in alpha emitting radionuclides, however, majority arises from the processing of restricting discharges. Quite the simple chemical treatment would imported uranium ore concentrate contrary, BNFL have predicted(ll there render the contaminated material in the (UOC). The UOC contains a range of will be an increase in Springfields' liquid effluent insoluble for it then to be naturally occurring radioactive discharges over the next five years removed by filtration. Furthermore, an isotopes, however, only two resulting from increasing UOC alternative strategy exists for BNFL to (uranium-235 and uranium-238) are of throughput contracts (i.e. the amount significantly cut alpha emitter value for nuclear fuel production. of UOC to be processed). discharges without technology. BNFL Most of the unwanted contaminants have only to specify that its customers (mainly isotopes of thorium) are Besides the new limits, a new and obtain UOC from low thorium sources removed during milling operations important clause has been included in for their fuel manufacturing contracts. performed at the mine, although the the new authorisation requiring BNFL efficiency of removal depends on the to use the best practicable means In spite of there being these simple and level of impurity in the UOC in the (BPM) to ensure that all discharges are readily available options, BNFL has first place and the purification process kept to a level as low as reasonably stated that it cannot afford discharge used, some processes being more achievable. It is no longer sufficient to reduction technologies: " ... even the efficient than others. ensure that discharges are merely kept most economical of the available below the authorised limit. However, [effluent reduction] alternatives, Any contaminants which remain in the authorisation does not state what would lead to an incremental cost that the UOC are removed during the fuel constitutes BPM and it is left to BNFL would effectively price BNFL out of production process and discharged to make these decisions to the the market".(l) It is to be noted that directly into the River Ribble. The satisfaction of HMIP and MAFF. BNFL is presently investing £145m on effluent receives no treatment, other new fuel fabrication plant on the than recovery of some uranium and BNFL has stated that it considers the Springfields site due to come on pH adjustment. best practicable means of reducing the stream in 1994/95. radioactive waste discharge is for it to Since uranium-238 is the most be made directly and untreated to the BesidesMAFP' sroleasjointauthorising abundant isotope in the UOC, its beta river. BNFL submitted justification department along with HMIP, it is also

16 Safe Energy 86 responsible for the official monitoring 8NFl of the environmental distribution of Sprlogflelds- discharges from nuclear sites and assessment of pathways back to humans. Official monitoring of the River Ribble has been notable by its absence. Although discharges from the plant began in 1949, MAFF's sole monitoring site in Preston (at Penwortham Bridge to the east of Preston) some Skm upstream of the outfall, was only included in 1987. Thereafter, MAFF has found this site to have the highest levels of l Savlck lltook Tidal Umlt Springfields derived contamination it 2 cadet Hut,....._._ lllldgt • F-eton (1081) has on record. 3 Broadgate • Becconsall (198<4) 4 '--"-1hhml'lll1< ... ~Hut(1987) 5 ....._._Railway lllldgt Historically, MAFF has concentrated its Friends of the Earth (limited) monitoring efforts on the * (Umlt ol FoE SUrvey) section of the river downstream of the outfall. Presently, MAFFs monitoring BNFL Springfields contamination of the River Ribble programmeonlycoversfive locations on the Ribble, the Penwortham Sea Cadet year, cannot be considered unusual. occupancy times, BNFL has stated hut site still its sole monitoring location Beta discharge levels peaked in 1983, that the maximum dose received by a upstream. In 1989, BNFLaJso published, it is likely that levels of contamination member of the public, aside from the for the first time, details ofcontamination in the sediments of the Ribble would boat dwellers is 9J&Svfannum. up to the Penwortham Bridge area. have reflected this. Putting FoE data into a computer model developed by MAFF, this dose In May 1991, Friends of the Earth (FoE) Most notably, the highest levels of would be reached, from external began a radiation monitoring survey contamination and dose rate were exposure alone, in less than nine of the River Ribble, upstream of the found in and over river sediments as minutes per day over a year spent over outfall. The survey is still in progress the river flows through Preston, most the mud at Lower Penwortham Park. although we present some of our of which is not monitored by either Even if the contamination levels preliminary findings here. MAFF or BNFL. One such site, averaged only a third of those found adjacent to the Lower Penwortham by FoE, this level of exposure would Higher figures Park area of Preston is a popular be reached in less than half an hour per recreational spot, particularly with day. A child would need to spend just The FoE data for sediment con­ children who play on the dry riverbed 81 minutes per day over a year to tamination and dose-rate are higher during the summer months. receive a radiation dose of 100 than has ever been published by either J&SV I annum (again neglecting the MAFF or BNFL, for the section of the It is highly likely that the sediment contribution form internal exposure). Ribble passing through Preston. samples collected by FoE will also be Furthermore, the FoE survey found contaminated with high levels of It can only be assumed therefore, that contamination extending some 2.5km alpha emitting radionuclides. These MAFF have not accounted for the further upstream than MAFF's pose a particular hazard if ingested or exposure of these people, who may monitoring programme. inhaled such as may be the case at therefore form the real critical group. Lower Penwortham Park and other The importance of identifying the The average level of Th-234 con­ urban areas adjacent to the river. correctcriticalgroup for any nuclear site tamination from all17 FoE sample sites Analyses for these are underway isonlytooclear. In this instance, the new was 1,091,258Bq/kg with a range from presently, results will be presented in authorised limits have been calculated 66,412 Bq/kg to 2,266,300Bqfkg. Since a full report to be published in 1992. on the basis of exposure of the boat Pa-234m is in equilibrium with Th-~ dwellers. In view of the fact that BNFL there will be similar levels of Pa-234m in Previous habit surveys performed by has announced its intention to increase the sediments. These levels of con­ MAFF have indicated that boat the levels of discharge in the near future, tamination were reflected by similarly dwellers living on boats moored over there is a particularly urgent need for elevated ertvironmental dose rates the mud in the lower Ribble Estuary MAFF and HMIP to take immediate rangingfrom0.11J&Gy/hrto0.55 J&Gy/hr. form the critical group for external action to ensure that operations at To put these figures into perspective, exposure from both the Sellafield and Springfields cease until such time as a Pa-234mlevelsmeasured by MAFF at the Springfields discharges. However, rigorous habit survey is performed by PenworthamSea Cadet hut (MAFF' ssole MAFF do not monitor at Lower MAFF; the river monitoring pro­ monitoring point in Preston) averaged Penwortham Park and several of the gramme is expanded to fully include 217,(XX)Bqjkg over the years 1987-1989. other contaminated areas in Preston Preston; and finally, that Springflelds Similarly, the mean dose rate at this identified by the FoE survey, employ the best practicable means to location and for these years as measured furthermore, none of the habit surveys reduce its discharges. 0 by MAFF was less than 0.14J~Gy/hr. have documented the occupancy More recent figures are not available. times of children or adults who spend Reference: time near the contaminated sediments 1. BNFL's unclassified Submission to the The levels of contamination found by of the Ribble in these areas. Using Review of Springfields' Liquid Dis­ FoE, although not averaged over a assumptions and estimates of charge Authorisation. Oanuary 1991).

December '91/January '92 17 During World War~ Tom Johnston struck a political deal with Churdrlll which led to the formation of the Hydro Board, establishing hydro as the first fully fledged renewable. Here, PAT AGNEW, Scottish Green Party speaker on energy, highlights the major political landmarks in its history. Hydro power politics

ARIOUS types of water Canada, 500 in the USA as a whole, 500 in effect, Government stock.: in other turbine were developed in the in Norway, and 145 in Shanghai. words the grid was to be a nationalised V 19th century, but they found institution. Weir was a loyal supporter little application until the arrival of Weir found that there were too many of the Conservative Party: the Electricity reliable electricity generators and small inefficient power stations, the (Supply) Act, 1926, which embodied the electrical equipment larger stations had a much better proposals of his committee, was passed efficiency. In total the power stations into law by a Conservative Around 1880 electric motors and had spare plant for 68$ of the Government. generators of reasonable efficiency maximum load, which was considered made it possible to transmit power over excessive: but this figure could not be Building Programme short distances for such things as cranes reduced without interconnecting the and the primitive electric trains of the various systems, requiring their In 1940 the Oyde still had the world's age. At the same time electric light bulbs technical characteristics to be greatest single concentration of were developed simultaneously by standardised. shipyards, and Churchill needed the Edison in the USA and by Joseph Swan co-operation of the shipyard and in Newcastle. (In Britain. Edison and Weir produced an overwhelming case munition workers of the 'Red Qyde' for Swan combined their interests: older for standardisation, interconnection, the the war effort. He decided -to put in a readers may remember seeing concentration of generation in large left-winger as Secretary of State for NEdiswanN bulbs and other products.) efficient power stations, and for going Scotland - the man he chose was Tom out to sell more electricity. These Johnston. As a young journalist before A lot of small hydro plants for country guidelines have been used by the the 1st World War Johnston had written houses and private estates were built electricity supply industry from that a book about Scottish Landlords, he had between 1880 and 1939. Many of them s:f,ay to this. enormous difficulty in getting it might now be considered very published and when it was a lot of inefficient, but efficiency was not what The Committee recommended the copies were destroyed, it is now very they were built for, they were built to building of a 'grid-iron' of high voltage rare and of great value to book provide services, particularly light, that transmission lines. Authorised power collectors. would not otherwise have been stations would sell their power to available. In 1880 the gas mantle had not Electricity Commissioners, who would Churchill promised support in yet appeared: gas lighting was by open sell it on to the local distributors (who Parliament and a limited amount of gas jets, the alternatives were oil lamps were sometimes also the owners of the money for some of Tom Johnston's pet or candles. power stations). Inefficient power schemes in return for his support in the stations would be closed down. It was Oyde. One of those projects was hydro The electricity supply industry grew up anticipated that the grid would take 15 power. There was very little trouble on as a lot of separate undertalcings; some years to build, and would cost £250 Qydeside - certainly much less than in private others municipal Each had its million- a vast sum in 1925. It was to the First World War - and in 1943 own technical characteristics: d.c or a.c.; be financed by the issue of what was, Johnston got his reward, in the form of single-phase, two-phase or three phase; with frequencies varying from 25 to 83Hz; and just about every possible voltage between 48 and 500. Not even light bulbs could be standardised. Everything tended to be expensive: electricity was a luxury item. for the rich - the poor stuck to their gas lights. Britain was behind other industrial countries in the use of electricity. Attempts to persuade the various undertakings to voluntarily standardise and amalgamate their systems failed.

In January 1925 a committee, under the chairmanship of Lord Weir - a prominent Glasgow industrialist who had been Secretary of State for Air in 1918 - was appointed to examine electricity supply. Working with remarkable speed, their report, dated 14 May 1925, showed that electricity consumption in Great Britain was 110 units per head per annum as compared to 1200 units in California, 900 in Loch Sloy dam: buttre... a under construction

18 Safe EMtVY B6 an Act establishing the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board (the Hydro Board).

The Board, a nationalised concern, was largely modelled on the US's Tennessee Valley Authority. The Tennessee scheme-part of Roosevelt's 'New Deal' - was a huge rural development incorporating a number of hydro plants, in a backward part of the Southern USA.

The Scottish Hydro Board Act contained the famous Social dause: "The Board shall collaborate with any measure for the economic development or social improvement of the north of Scotland ... ". The wording is important, meaning that anyone with such a measure could put it before the Board, who were bound to collaborate. The clear intention was that any profits should be used for the North of Scotland Region as defined in the Act: this was confined to the rural areas of the Highlands and Islands. Hydro plants may be very profitable in the long term, but they bring no quick profits, so this clause was not likely to be of much use in the early years.

It is impossible to believe that this Act of Parliament would have got through the House of Lords without Churchill's support. Amenity issue In 1944-5 there appears to have been nobody seriously prepared to object on amenity grounds to the building of a power station at Sloy, but there was considerable opposition to the chairman of the Board, was ostracised problems; instead we were suddenly proposals for the Tummel-Garry by his peers as a traitor to his class. faced with the responsibility for feeding scheme. The objectors were led by a substantial part of Germany. For the Perthshire County Council and the In 1946, Tom Johnston retired from his first two years after the war British National Trust for Scotland. The public cabinet post and took on the rations went down, not up. enquiry took place in 1945, in the chairmanship of the Hydro Board as a closing weeks of the war in Europe. The part time job. It is reputed that in his The electricity supply system was report runs to 1,188 foolscap pages. It is desperate need to find accommodation feeling the strain, like everything else. difficult, now, to see what all the fuss for construction workers he actually There had been no new equipment and was about: the tourists who admire the stole the buildings of an unoccupied only the minimum of maintenance for Queen's View from Victoria's favourite army camp. 6 years, but during that time view point are not aware of the fact that consumption had increased, and coal the level of Loch Tummel has been To understand the problems that he production had not been keeping up raised; Loch Faskally is not the had, it is necessary to understand the with demand. By the end of 1946 coal environmental disaster that was economic state of Britain in 1945. By the stocks were dangerously low. predicted, but rather an enhancement of end of the war 11 million tons of British the landscape; even the dam at shipping were lying at the bottom of the January to March 1947 was the coldest Pitlochry, which is by no means sea and normal trade had come to a winter, of the century. It was beautiful, attracts large numbers of stop. A greater proportion of Britain's particularly bad in the South of visitors - despite the fact that the workers had been devoted to the 'war England. Coal trains were snowed up; present owners charge them for the effort' than in any other country. There ships with coal for London were storm privilege of seeing the display inside the had been no new houses built for 6 bound in the Tyne for weeks on end; power station. years: the shells of houses uncompleted power stations ran out of coal. The in 1939 could be seen standing on the government resorted to increasingly In 1945, local feeling ran high. The outskirts of most of our towns. The desperate measures: it was made illegal Board's engineers were refused bombing had simply added to the to use. electricity for domestic purposes accommodation at all the hotels in housing shortage. A building licence between 8.30 and 11 30am and between Pitlochry except for one, and the fact was needed to build anything at all, and 1.30 and 3.30pm, and in many places if that it was owned by an Irishman did you had to be in desperate need to get the electricity came on at all outside not help local relations. Lord Airlie, the one. The end of the war did not end the those hours it was at reduced voltage.

Decemw '91/January '92 19 Most industries closed down grid, now had to sell it to the SSEB, and that to compare the prices of hydro completely. Street lights were turned from the start the SSEB, with most of power and power from coal (there was off, shop windows went dark, television the customers and therefore most of the not then enough data to consider was cut off. The thaw in March caused money, had ambitions to absorb the nuclear power) you have to compare devastating floods. Things returned Hydro Board. Before long there was a two quite different things. By taking more or less to normal in April, but it dispute between the Boards about the different but quite acceptable rates of was made illegal to use electric space purchase of power by the SSEB when depreciation and of interest charges you heaters until the 1st of October, under the Hydro Board had a surplus. can come up with quite different pain of a £100 fine or three months answers, even if you agree about such imprisonment. Tom Johnston resigned from the things as the likely future ratio of peak chairmanship in 1959 and died in 1960. load to base load. When considering Tom Johnston saw his chance. As an whether to build more hydro stations, elder statesman of the governing The debate about the future of you come up against an even greater Labour Party, on close terms with most hydro-power began in 1961. By this date uncertainty: what will be the price of of the cabinet, he must have found it the memory of 1947 was fading, and coal (or any other fuel) in 10, 20 or 30 relatively easy to convince them of the though nobody liked to admit it, our years time? To answer these questions need for hydro power. He obtained energy problems had been solved for you need to be a clairvoyant, not an promises of increased supplies of the time being by imports of cheap accountant. money and materials not only for Sloy Middle Eastern oil. and Tummel-Garry but also for a The Mackenzie Committee never did number of other schemes. Overnight An economist at Aberdeen University find the answer. To settle the matter the Hydro Board had acquired a argued that, "the advent of atomic they recommended that the two programme of work for several years to energy suggested that in 50 years time Scottish electricity boards should be come and the resources to carry it out. hydro-electric stations ... may be as combined. This would have meant, in obsolete as the horse and carriage". The effect, that the Hydro Board would be Arbitrary division Conservative Scottish Power taken over by the SSEB. But this was Investigation Committee argued that politically unacceptable. The Social There is a story that in 1946 or '47 Tom thermal stations, fuelled by Lanarkshire Clause, though little used, was still on Johnston and 'Mannie' Shinwell - two coal, would be cheaper, less the statute book and 'the hydro' as it former left-wing rebels, the latter the environmentally harmful, and more was known, still had a user friendly minister for Fuel and Power - went for reliable in times of drought than hydro reputation, particularly in the rural a walk along the river bank at Pitlochry schemes - this looks very much like the areas; the SSEB has never been popular. to decide the future organisation of Auld Alliance of miners and land The Hydro Board was therefore electricity supply in Scotland. There had owners. The last coal mine in shackled to the SSEB by a Joint been a rumour that the Hydro Board Lanarkshire shut long ago, and hydro Generating Agreement, and rules of might be abolished, or at least stripped power now costs less than a quarter of accounting were enforced that ensured of its function of local distribution. the price of power from coal fired power the Hydro Board would never make a Instead of that, they decided to increase stations. significant profit. These shackles were its size, by making it responsible for to remain in place until the coming of distribution in an enlarged area, which The Departmental Committee on privatisation 30 years later. 0 included the towns of Inverness, Perth, Electricity in Scotland (the Mackenzie Dundee and Aberdeen. This decision Committee) was appointed by the Reference: was written into the 1948 Act that Secretary of State in March 1961. One of natk>nalised the whole of the electricity its tasks was to make a comparative "'The Hydro" by P L Payne; Aberdeen supply industry. It divided Scotland analysis of hydro power with other University Press, 1988. along an arbitrary line that separated sources, commenting on their Dundee from St. Andrews and Stirling availability and costs. The Hydro • This article is based on a paper by the from Dunblane. It made little sense in Board's accountants put forward their author 11Hydro Power and Electricity in 1948 and it makes no sense at all now. figures, the SSEB's accountants theirs. Scotland". A second article, on It ensured that from that time onwards, The Committee never really managed privatisation and hydro power's future, the majority of the Hydro Board's to reconcile them. The main problem is will appear in the next issue of Safe Energy. customers would be town dwellers. This diverted the attention and the resources of the Board from its original purpose: they carried out a major programme of rural electrification but they never were able to make significant use of the Social Clause for anything else.

In 1954 the Scottish Office took over responsibility for electricity supply in Scotland. The whole British grid had been run by the Ministry down in London; the Scottish Office, in taking control of the Scottish end, combined ,.,...... ,.,..,_.., •.... the South West Scotland and South East l Scotland Electricity Boards together -- :t: with the part of the grid in the South of ·~ Scotland to make the South of Scotland Electricity Board {SSEB). This was .______• ·___,~ J bound to lead to trouble: the Hydro Board instead of selling power to the Loch Sloy dam: details

20 Safe Energy 86 • adequacy of the arrangements for the NFFO Order purchase of the fuel; The Order The • equipment, site and other items; and RECs' coatracu HE Renewable Energy Tranche • examination of wether the scheme's Waste T of the English and Welsh non­ projected fmancial/economic perfor­ MW DNC 261.41 271.48 fossil fuel obligation (NFFO) for mance was such that it could be ex­ No. schemes 10 1991-98 has been set at 457MW, more pected to continue generation throug­ price p/kWh 6.55 than twice an earlier government esti­ hout the period to the end of 1998. "Other" MW DNC 28.15 30.15 mate of around 200MW. REC's had lobbied the Government No. schemes 4 The Regional Electricity Companies to support fewer projects, arguing that a Price p/kWh 5.9 have agreed to take power from 122 higher obligation will force the levy up Hydro projects which will build up to a total and hence costs to consumers. MW DNC 10.36 10.86 No. schemes 12 capacity of 472MW by 1998. Only 75 Whilst these developments can be price p/kWh 6.00 schemes were accepted last year, totall­ from attributed to the build up of pressure, LandfiU Gas ing 102MW. Subsidy levels vary for the public surveys, all political parties and MW DNC 48.00 48.45 six technology types included. environmentalists, it is quite possible for No schemes 28 Windpower has the highest per/kW the momentum to stall as pressure is Price p/kWh 5.7 subsidy because, say the Department of slackened off, as in the case of Scottish Sewage Gas MW DNC 26.86 26.86 Energy (DoEn), .. wind technology has renewables. In May, following the Asso­ No. schemes 19 some way to go before it can be econ­ ciation of Independent Electricity Pro­ Price p/kWh 5.9 omically competitive". Landfill gas is ducers • threat to invoke the Act ofUnion, Wind considered closest to .. independent Scottish Secretary Ian Lang forced the MW DNC 82.43 84.43 No. schemes 49 commercial application". generators to purchase electricity from Price p/kWh 11.0 Professor Littlechild, Director independents at 5.3p a unit. However, Total 457.28 472.23 General of Electricity Supply at with a limit of 58MW, some independent No. schemes 122 OFFER, put forwani 205 projects that schemes would be unable to sell all the Eventual cost Approx £130m to FFL• (£m/pa) met with OFFER's requirements under electricity they produced. For the excess, FFL =F..O fuel .., five main criteria: the old rate of 1.9p still applies. The aver­ • technical viability; agewouldamounttoaround4.9pperunit. Source: Departnreru of Energy • progress towards obtaining planning This appears now to have been accepted permission and other consents; by the independent generators. 0 1991 NFFOJRenewables Order

Regulation (OFFER) and that backers agement to Britain's wind industry and Renewables concerns would withdraw when they realised there failed to acknowledge the contribution of is insufficient time to make a profit. He the UK, and Scotland in particular, to ONCERNS and doubts about the also implied that he would like to see Europe's overall resource. A leap in Csecond renewables tranche within OFFER take action against those who re­ capacity for wind energy, from around the NFFO have swiftly followed its un­ ceived contracts but failed to build pro­ 8MW to lOOMW, was assured but more veiling and industry experts have taken jects. was required than just vague targets: the opportunity to voice their fears to the The BWEA's Dr Ian Mays said it was .. 1991's capacity is only good news if it's Commons Select Committee on Energy. .. galling" that the •will secure' test, followed by some established goals for20 Representatives of both the British designed to eliminate dubious projects, or 30 years, introduced in a progressive Wind Energy Association (BWEA) and had not been applied rigorously by and phased manner." the Wind Energy Group (WEG) claim that OFFER, and he expected the drop out rate Once again there were calls for urgent SO% of the projects approved in the latest to be high. action to extend the cut-off date beyond round of the NFFO will have to be aban­ Schemes stand accused of not even 1998 and for government to revise its doned. monitoring wind speeds at chosen sites guidelines to local authorities on planning Dr Peter Musgrove, director of nor taking sufficient account of planning applications for wind fanns. Garrad also WEG, told Select Committee member­ delays which would further erode time stated that it was ..singularly illogical" for s that many of the projects had re­ available to recover costs. Scotland to be excluded from the NFFO ceived only .. minimal and inadequate BWEA CHAIR, Dr Andrew Garrad, in light of it having the best potential in scrutiny" by the Office of Electricity considered this NFFO gave little encour- the UK and possibly Europe. 0

nology." The 261MW incineration sec­ the Government would reassess its target Environmental concerns tion of the order will equate to 3 million for renewable energy development of tonnes of waste, 570,000 tonnes of toxic lOOOMW capacity by the year 2000. The HE 1991 NFFO Order came in for ash and 4,600 tonnes of air pollution. Department of Energy line now is that Timmediate criticism from environ­ Friends ofthe Earth said in 10 years time, renewables could, .. potentially produce mental groups over the contribution of Britain would be approaching 2% energy 20% of our current electricity demand by incineration and the paucity of the total. capacity from renewables, '"well behind 2025, if the)' can be commercially de­ Serious concern was expressed because other European countries". No doubt aware ployed". more than half of the new order goes to of the scope for criticism. the Energy Min­ Given the recent DoEn report stating incineration. Greenpeace say this is not a ister responsible for Renewables, Colin that SO% was technically available by renewable but a polluter, arguing .. there Moynihan. agreed to look into, with the 2010, we must now await either stricter are continuing serious doubts about the European Commission, the possible exten­ environmental legislation aimed at curb­ dioxins and atmospheric pollution that in­ sion of the nmewables subsidy beyond the ing C~ emissions, or a far more deter­ cineration creates. It is not a proven tech- 1998 cut-off date. Significantly, he also said mined effort led by government. 0

December '91/January '92 emission control from the ftrst day. The seeking the use of corporate targets as Coal scandal responsibility of compliance with the opposed to the site by site emissions tar­ LCPD lies with the Government of each gets, enabling them to reduce sulphur HE dirtiest industries in the country member state and in the UK responsibility emissions at some plants and exceed le­ T were always going to test the main for enforcement is with the HMIP. vels at others. The fact that they switched planks of the Governments Environ­ HMIP is now squaring up to the gener­ in the first instance to a dirtier fuel did not, mental Protection Act 1990: Integrated ators over the implementation of apparently, go down well in Europe. Pollution Control (JPC) and BATNEEC BATNEEC, particularly in the test-case No significant move has been made - 'best available technology not entail­ of Orimulsion combustion at the Pem­ towards fitting FGD in the UK. Mean­ ing excessive cost'. But the intran­ broke 2,000MW oil-ftred power station. while, in Germany, one station was taken sigence of National Power and Power­ Generators intransigence is exempli­ out of generation and FGD fitting com­ Gen is stretching relations with policy fied in their opportunistic pursuit of the pleted in 18 months. Thatcher's grand £2 makers, the European Commission use of Orimulsion in the face of European billion scheme to fit FGD at UK stations (EC), and enforcers, Her Majesties In­ and UK efforts to tackle emissions. Ori­ has been reduced to £0.5 billion to fit just spectors of Pollution (HMIP), to break­ mulsion has a 3-5%- sulphur content and one station, Drax, western Europe's lar­ ing point. high trace levels of heavy metals including gest coal-flted station. It is not possible to The newly privatised companies were the toxin vanadium. The last time this fuel meet the original1993 Drax A, and 1995 expected to be hard-nosed in their vi­ was test-fired in Pembroke it resulted a cor­ Drax B deadlines (SCRAM 64). Today it gorous efforts to make early gains in the rosive black cloud engulfmg a batch of new is expected to take 7 more years, with no competitive market and satisfy share­ cars in a near-by lot. A compensation pay­ sol clean up in that time. holders expectation, but they have shown ment of £6 million was later made. As far as the generators are concerned, only total recalcitrance in responding to There are several reasons for the attrac­ FGD constitutes an excessive cost to the Europe-wide initiatives to achieve in­ tion to Orimulsion: it has a 9% higher heat production of power from Orimulsion. To creasingly higher emission standards. content; its price is low and stable relative HMIP, the technology is readily available It is just two years since Margaret to the volatile oil market. Oil-ftred power and should be used. They are rumoured to Thatcher made her exhortation to the UN stations can easily be converted to its use. be considering changing the status of up­ General Assembly and the world, high­ The generating companies have several graded oil stations to new plant. The sta­ lighting Britain's 'lead' in the enormous such stations which were commissioned tions would therefore have to meet efforts necessary for the global clean up. just before the oil shocks in the 70's. They maximum emission control standards She claimed that the UK "already has a £2 are effectively mothballed, and are used from the first day under the Large Com­ billion programme of improvements to only at peak times and therefore have very bustion Plant Directive. reduce acid rain emissions from our low load factors of around 6-7%. At the end of the day, one is left won­ power stations". National Power and PowerGen have dering how generators can be persuaded The structure to achieve this was the contracts worth £5.5m of Orimulsion to incorporate FGD. In all probability they Tory environmental 'flagship.. the 1990 lined up for combustion in up-graded oil­ will merely close stations rather than pay Environmental Act incorporating IPC, ftred stations. costs for reducing emissions. Sources where all emissions at each plant have to In their efforts to generate as profitably have suggested that licences for new gas be considered together and minimised, as possible, the companies have come up stations being considered by the gener­ and where BATNEEC must be employed. with a number of alternatives to fitting ators may be slow in coming if they are At the European level, the EC Large expensive FGD equipment. At stations not more receptive to IPC. Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD), will where they hope to bum Orimulsion they Conversely, the generators may merely be effective from 1993, aimed at progress­ sought to fit only dust trapping precipita­ be holding out for appeal to the Secretary ive clean up of all existing power stations. tors, which would have minimal impact of State? After all, it was the Government New plant is not covered by the LCPD and on sulphurous and toxic emissions. that put them in this position. 0 must instead must obtain maximum More recently, generators have been

references to conservation to Previously, the state of­ US Bill enhance efficiency, it is felt that German support fered 25% grants on capital the delay will give more time costs to those qualifying for ILDLIFE in Northern for lobbying for a far stronger HE windiest German federal support, on the con­ Alaska has been tem­ renewable component. state, North Rhine­ W T dition that the combined porarily spared from oil As a model for his revised Westphalia, is determined grants did not exceed 50% of drilling activities as the Sen­ plan, Bush could look to Cali­ to make full use of its re­ ate have rejected the Bush fornia where Republican Gov­ newable options. It has the overall cost. Now it is Administration's National ernor, Pete Wilson, has just changed its financial gui­ possible to receive the 25% Energy Plan (SCRAM 82). approved an energy Bill pro­ delines to allow full accu­ subsidy on top of the 50% Alternative energy propo­ moting greater use of renew­ mulation of federal. state maximum federal grant. nents now have the oppor­ abies and improved efficiency. and local grants for wind tunity to lobby for a greater It aims to open the way for in­ power installations. North Rhine-Westphalia renewables contribution creased regulatory support for is also leading the way in Under what is called while the Bill is being red­ renewables, and accounting the transport sector. Grants rafted. It will go back before methods that include environ­ REN, private energy saving up to DM10,000 are avail­ the Senate early in 1992. mental and social costs of and renewable energy pro­ able for people wishing to To the delight of environ­ power generation. jects can obtain state and purchase electric cars, on mentalists, who described the The Bill states that of the federal support of up to 75% the condition that the elec­ tricity for the vehicle must plan as a charter for "oil jun­ ll,OOOMW of extra power subsidies on capital costs. In come from solar or wind kies", it was defeated by a sur­ California requires by 2001, addition, community invol­ prisingly large margin. three quarters should be met energy. This is available to vement in projects can re­ people within the state who It also included thestteaoilin­ by improved efficiency, lease local grants which ing of regulations for nuclear 1.350MW by renewables and have shares in wind plant could bring the total subsidy power plants and interstate 1,350MW by conventional or their own photovoltaic pipelines. While it did include methods. 0 tQ 100%. collector. 0

Safe Energy 86 ciency comparable to todays best amor­ upper layer closes the circuit and conducts Phototech phous-silicon cells. The design differs electricity back to the dye through the from silicon-based solar cells, where silicon electrolyte. OLAR power has taken a step closer does everything from absorption of light The new panels convert around 7.1 to Sto becoming commercially attract­ to the conduction of electrons. 7.9% of sunlight into useful electrical en­ ive for use in household applications, as ntaniumdioxide is an abundant pigment ergy, producing around 1SO watts per square two separate research teams are claim­ used in whitener used in paint and tooth­ metre of panel. An equivalent silicon panel ing major breakthroughs in conversion paste. It fonns an extremely thin base, costs around £400; the Swiss panels costs be­ efficiency and economics. which is effectively tJ:ansparent. superim­ tween £40 and £80. Brian O'Reagan and Micbael Gratzel, posed on this an electrolyte layer and a light At Imperial College, London, Dr Keith of the Swiss Institute of Technology in sensitive dye; a sandwich arrangement Bamham has developed a technique using quantum well structures. This involves reduc· Lausanne, have developed a cell which which mimics plant sttucture. Ught pene­ ing the amount of light energy lost as heat by replicates photosynthesis. trates until reaching the dyed layer which, sandwiching a semi-conduc:tor, that absolbs a Using a thin base of titanium dioxide in as with chlorophyU, captures photons. The wide range of photon energies, between layers place of high purity silicon and other photons then release electrons into the semi­ of a second semi-conductor that absolbs only expensive materials, it is estimated costs conductor film of titanium dioxide. high energy photons. This boosts the potential could be reduced by between S% and The •butter' layers of the sandwich are powerconversioneftlciency by 10% over con­ 10%. The solar-to-electric conversion tin oxide, the lower of which conducts the ventional designs. efficiency is around 7-12%, making effi- electrons away as electric current; the A prototype, with 30 quantum wells produced more than double the power out­ put compared to one without wells. The result, says Bamham, working on a maxi­ mum solar cell efficiency of 25%, is that .. the average household electricity, apart from space heating, could be provided by just over two square metres of solar col­ lector, if 50% efficiency and suitable stor­ age were available." However, the preoccupation of funding nu­ clear power in the UKhashadanegativeeffect Dye on these teclmologies. Government spending in the last decade on solar power has been £500,000 compared to .£3,000 million on nu­ clear research. Solar research in the US, over the last 5 years has received £140 million from government and industry combined, and in Japan over £100 million. Germany spent £85 Titanium dioxide million between 1985 and 1988. Such govern­ semiconductor film ment and industrial support has placed foreign companies at a distinct advantage which tem­ pers any euphoria over developments here. 0

tic emission targets. Carbon tax Despite growing support for a carb­ Finn power on tax, the concept still faces consid­ NTERNATIONAL efforts to curb erable opposition. A tax, such as that UOLLOWING the success of district greenhouse gas emissions took a proposed by the European Com­ _r heating in Sheffield, a Finnish con­ I sortium of energy companies, Finn­ major step forward when the idea of a mission (Safe Energy 85), would power, is looking to move into Glasgow carbon tax received the backing of Ma­ have an inevitable increase on prices, and Edinburgh where it is viewed as a koto Taniguchi, General Secretary of with an estimated rise in domestic fuel cost-effective solution to damp homes. the Organisation for Economic Co­ bills of 1S% and petrol of 6%. This Ekoco Energy Ltd, one of the Finn­ operation and Development (OBCD), would affect poor families worst by power companies, was jointly involved in November. adding around £1.45 per week to bills; with Sheffield City Council in the fust UK At a conference in Sydney, he said around 1.4% of total spending. The district heating scheme. The system grew fossil fuels could not be made totally wealthiest would pay just under £3 from covering 4,200 council flats in 1988 to 10 large city blocks a year later. Total non-polluting and "all countries should more, 1% or less. cost was £7m. ideally shift their dependence on fossil The intention is that the tax should 12 miles {)f 300mm diameter pipeline fuel sources to clean, renewable be a neutral one with no increase in was laid to carry some 40MW of heat, the sources, as soon as possible". the overall tax burden. It could schemes full potential is 400MW of heat. An OBCD computer study into the therefore be balanced by various DirectorofFinnpower, Dr John Nelson, impact of carbon taxes shows that coal means, by reductions in VAT or in­ based at the Finland Trade Centre in Lon­ use will decline by as much as 6S %, come tax, for instance. don, describes the system as one .. built .as with a quadrupling of its price, but no Moves, such as full recognition by a modular concepL You can start with a estimates were available for the im­ the OBCD, would alleviate major small unit under lOMW. Construction time is very short." pacts on oil and gas from such fears of Britain and the European Finnish companies have considerable measures. Community being left at a manufac­ domestic experience of combined heat Taniguchi•s preference is for plac­ turing and trading disadvantage, and power systems (CHP) for district ing emphasis on the use of new tech­ though its impact on Third World heating, CHP plant generates 2S% of total nology to reduce emissions and cue countries has yet to make the political power output in Finland. In Britain it con­ wastage, rather than setting unrealis- agenda. 0 tributes only 2%. 0

December '91/January '92 r------, I Nuclear Power and Global Warming ~\\\11/t~ I A lot of money is being spent on promoting nuclear power as an g~,~~ RENEW I environmentally-friendly energy source. Humanity can't afford ~;~"~~ I to let this go unchallenged. The Centre for Alternative ~Ill\\\~ I Technology demonstrates the real safe alternatives to fossil Technology for a Sustainable Future I fuels . Our education facilities creatively bring people in touch I with the planet we all depend on for our survival. Being "green" Can Britain do without nuclear starts with a recognition that it is impossible to survive if we I destroy that which keeps us alive. The Centre's purpose, then. is power? I to promote Earth-friendly practices as well as point out the Phase out fossil fuels? ~ causes of today's environmental problems. You can help us in our Develop sustainable alternatives? I work by joining the Alternative Technology Association. I As a visitor to the Centre, you may be inspired to change your The answer is · yes, as you'll find ifyou I life. As an ATA member you can actively work for change, subscribe to I encouraging others and leading by example. You will receive I Clean Slate, the AT magazine, and have access to CAT RENEW I information and education publications and facilit:jes. the UK's only independent journal I You can join the Alternative Technology Association by filling focussing on renewable energy I out and returning the fonn below. Hard News on Green Technology ~------1 RENEW is published bimonthly, at £1.95 for each 30 page issue, by 1 Plc:ue send me Clean Sllte ud enrol me as a ATA memba in tbe following 1 N ATT A, the independent Network for Alternative Technology and cltegory: Individual £12.00 Family £15.00 Cooc:euim £8.50. Overseas please I Technology Assessment. NATTA was established in 1976 as an I add £5 .00. I CDClose a donation of £200 £100 £50 £25 £10 £5 toCher£ ...... information network servicing people active in the renewable energy I I field. Currently it has 500 members and is based with one of its affiliates, I Total enclosed£ ....••...... •• Please make cheques payable to ATA I the Energy and Environment Research Unit at the Open University. N A TT A members receive RENEW free, plus concessions on I Names ...... •...... I NATTA's extensive range of reports.

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GENERATING PRESSURE GENERATING The Campaign against Nuclear Power at Druridge Bay "An atomic power sta.tionl lt can't be true!" Plans for one in your PRESSURE &~~<'X favourite beauty spot have j ust been revealed. What do you dol The people of North East England faced this problem when they discovered in 1978 that unspoiled, windswept Druridge Bay in ~~V" Northumberland was to be the site of nuclear power stations. The horror of the proposal roused people who had no experience of political campaigning. From the simplest beginnings, the Druridge ~~~~~ Bay Campaign built up Into a formidable pressure group. Bridge! Gubblns, former teacher and mother of four, tells the story from within. She describes the development of the Campaign as it learnt to respond to the moves of the nuclear power industry. The story Includes the main arguments while following the twists and turns of the campaign, from alerting_local people to lobbying politicians.

CENERATINC PRESSURE is a lively description of the role of a pressure group in a democracy. lt is a gra$5roots account of what it is like to belong to one, and tasks and pitfalls are vividly recounted. Everyone In the North East knows someone in this story. Everyone elsewhere will know some of the national figures who have come to support the Druridge Bay Campaign.

"There's a lot to be teamed ..bout the Mture of citizen protest ..nd the dyrwnkl of moblntlflg lndlvlduls "nd whole communities In the "" of exerting democratic pressure" )onathon Porritt, writing in the Foreword

AS size, 160 pag.s, 29 photos, 10 drawings and maps

Published by Earthrlght publications, price £4.95

Avallabkl from Druridge Bay Campaign, Tower Building&, Oldgate, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 1PY

24 S.t• Energy 86 I REVIEWS I

Global Environmental Change; Edited by Robert CoreD and Patricia Anderson.

···~ NATO ASI Series, Sprlnger-Verlag, Berlin; Hawaii 1991, 264pp. tO•

11"'Canton IL 0 This book sets out NATO in­ ankles of thousands of tentions for an ambitious five people in the southern 111" year research programme hemisphere. The inclusion of ~Tahiti .. .lll.·------~------··-~!lliiiUJliWlllll!l>..-' with no less an aim than un­ the human factors in this 170"W tSO" tlQ• derstanding the interrela­ multidisciplinary work are tionships of the physical, decidedly light-weight and chemical, biological and so­ cross-linking with the social cial aspects of Global Envi­ sciences occurs only in the ronmental Change. proposals by the Royal Swed­ Global environmental ish Academy of Sciences. change (GEC) has come at a By ignoring the wealth of good time for the scientific environmental expertise and community. Public aware­ resorting to specialists such ness of the ecology of the as hydrologists, who can world's land masses, only conclude that energy oceans and near space is and conservation are at the 111" greater than ever and root of the problem, the pro­ .· threatens to reduce the gramme hints at an under­ oo .· status of 'experts'. lying political agenda. ~0110"W Some of the projects dis­ But crucially we have to con­ cussed are of merit, such as sider how NATO is intending Figure 2 El Niiio SST anomalies for an event (1982) and a non-event (1981) year. those focussing on the fre­ to extend its now outdated The cold regions along the equator (Oct 1981) are often more fully quency of ENSO (El Nino defence role. Like many gov­ developed at the extreme of the cold phase. and the Southern Oscilla­ ernments and industries, tion) - the coupled warming NATO is looking to the envi­ of the ocean and atmosphere ronmental issues for longev­ For if they do not come up unable to include the con­ off Pacific South America. ity, but its primary function with sophisticated equation­ tribution of the existing so­ This could provide informa­ remains - the defence of the ~beyondthe'kenlofnormal cial and economic order pre­ tion, with practical applica­ existing world order. folk, then these experts, like cisely because its primary tions, on the large scale biol­ Perhaps this becomes most todays politicians, stand to function is to perpetuate this ogical productivity in the apparent with its recourse to lose the privileged position order. It is inevitable there­ tropical Pacific. quotes from well known en­ they hold with the demise of fore that some of the projects The problems stem from vironmentalists like Reagan the existing order. that make up the overall fla­ NATO' s overemphasis on and Thatcher, but more it is While there are, no doubt, vour of the programme en­ the physical, mechanical and in the response to the Shultz well intentioned contributors gender the belief that it will chemical characteristics in­ exhortation to academia, to to this programme, it has to be satisfy none but proponents fluencing GEC, all of which take up the challenge of "in­ questioned whether an organi­ for 'business as usual'. will no doubt be comforting tellectual adjustment" in this sation such as NATO should as water laps around the "time of profound change". control such a programme. It is DAVESPENCE

ful tool for campaigners who try and weapons which give Management of Radioactive Waste: The Issues for want their LA to take a more rise to this waste have any Local Authorities. Edited by Stewart Kemp. active role in the debate. future, their dangerous le­ The volume includes papers gacy will always be with us." on: deep disposal by W D Thomas Telford Publications; 1991, 177pp, £30. Biggs; Highland Regional MIKE TOWNSLEY Council'sresponsetoNirex by Chris Claridge; high-level Housmans Peace With the Government's plans management policy. waste by Phil Richardson; re­ Diary-1992 forradioactivewastemanage­ Presented here are the pro­ processing, disposal or stor­ ment plumbing the depths of ceedings of February's "Man­ age y David Lowry; military science fantasy, exemplified agement of Radioactive radioactive waste by Rob Ed­ More than a diary by Nirex'swish to drop inter­ Waste" conference organised wards, Rosyth by M Courtis, Housmans Peace Diary has a directory packed full mediate-level nuclear waste by the National Steering Com­ legal issues by Jamie Woolley; of contact addresses and down a deep hole in Cum­ mittee (NSC) of the Nuclear and waste disposal is there an phone numbers of bria, itismoreimportantthan Free Local Authorities, they acceptable problem? by Ste­ environmental and peace ever that Local Authorities offer not only a guide to the wartKemp. groups throughout the (LAs) take an active role in main issues affecting Local NSCChair,Ian Leitch, points work!. Price: £4.95. searching for a sane waste Authorities but are also a use- out "Whether or not theindus-

October/November '91 25 REVIEWS

most centrist and bureau­ of Scottish nuclear generation Electricity in Europe: the triumph of cratic power mankind has from its actual 55%, at best, to .free enterprise? by Andrew Holmes. ever devised", Holmes' fore­ aremarkable75%. These aber­ casts "Eventually ... even rations should not detract un­ governments will learn that duly from an otherwise excel­ Financial Times Business Information; nuclear power is forever jam lent document. June 1991, 144pp, £225. tomorrow," and observes My own conclusion from that "decommissioning de­ the report and I suspect vises its own arithmetic." Holmes' as well is that elec­ Far from the turgid text one sector'', is quoted, analysed, On electricity regulation, I tricity production under­ might expect given the title, and rejected. will forever more be stuck taken according to "the cul­ Andrew Holmes - always Holmes outlines the elec­ with Holmes' image of Prof ture of the engineer ... happy to throw in an interes­ tricity supply industries and Stephen Littlechild as Jim­ everything proved methodi­ ting turn of phrase - brings likely trends throughout iny Cricket, the conscience cally and comprehensively life to the commentary. Only western Europe, both by fuel of the electricity industry's before taking any step for­ in discussing the finer points type and by country; the lat­ Pinocchio. ward ... [with] an ethos of of the English and Welsh ter an interesting tour show­ Generally, the report is public service" is preferable electricity 'pool price' mech­ ing the diversity that remains careful to point to trends to the culture of "the futures anism, does the content within the EC. rather than make firm pre­ broker or the venture capital­ swamp the style. The conclusion is that a free dictions. Such an approach ist" and "Entrepreneurs The most notable section, on market in EC electricity, post was foreshadowed by [who] take high risks for high UK privatisation, chronologic­ 1992, is an ideal from which Holmes in the introduction, rewards." ally recalls key moments; even its original champion, where he remarks, "forecast­ As Holmes notes: "The ob­ events whose significance and Electricit~ de France, is back­ ing has gone the way of ligation to supply, which inter-relation had become ing away. Inter-country Rubik' s Cube and the filofax. was to be transferred from blurred or forgotten are laid trade of electricity between It was replaced in the 1980s the CEGB to the Regional out~h.VVhatahaphazani utilities is well established by the scenario, which was a Electricity Companies, was and ill thought out process it but the free trade between way of making numerous lifted from them and, indeed, was - the end result a hotch­ individual customers and forecasts simultaneously disappeared altogether". potch, without even much in Europe's generators remains and taking responsibility for This particular folly may be common with the free market a distant logistical night­ none of them." brought home to the south of doctrine by which it was con­ mare. Holmes observes that Given the author, publish­ England all too soon, should ceived. "in the end [1992 will] give er and price, it was disap­ the Magnox stations have to John Wakeham's claim, in EC utilities the right to go on pointing to discover a few be shut down wholesale at March '91, that UK privatisa­ doing what they have done factual inaccuracies - the this years end, as by their tion "is increasingly likely to in any case: trade electricity most glaring of these being condition they ought. be seen as a model for the rest to mutual benefit." the misnaming of Hinkley as of Western Europe's energy On nuclear power, "the Heysham, and the increasing GRAHAM STEIN

Using Wind Power. Educated Energy Management; by David Somervell and Roger Talbot. Proven Engineering Products Ltd; 1990, 32pp, £3 inc p&p. University of Edinburgh; 1991, 80pp, £20

This is an invaluable booklet system powered by a 6kW tur­ This publication is a work­ opment and training. It rec­ for those who would like to bine, with admirable clarity. ing guide for all those in­ ommends a 'team approach' know more about stand­ volved in the energy man­ to good housekeeping stand­ alone (as opposed to grid DAVESPENCE agement of educational ards and involves energy connected) small wind tur­ buildings, from directors of conservation education for bines, up to the size needed Proven Engineering Products ltd, education to staff and stu­ students of all ages. to power and heat a house. Moorfield Industrial Estate, dents alike. With the inclusion of anum­ It includes information on Kilmarnock, KA2 OBA. Health and environmental ber of case studies from storage, site location and problems, from sick building around Britain, Somervell and energy audit sheets com­ ______,___ ... syndrome to global warm­ Talbot succeed in bringing ...... ,...... _._.._ paring households using ... -...... -.... --...... ing, are examined in Chap­ together, for the first time, the low energy and standard ...... __ ._ .. _____ - .. -... _ ters 1 to 3, while other chap­ collective expertise and ex­ energy appliances. These ...... -·----- ...... ,_·------...... ters cover a wide range of perience of a wide and diverse clearly show the large sav­ ·- -""----·--- .. - energy and environmental field in a well collated and - --.·--·--·-·-·=·~"::'~:---··...... ---t~ ings to be made by switch­ __ .,_,... practices; from combined easy to read publication. ing from energy greedy heat and power, financial ap­ appliances. praisal and management, to RONHILL Aimed at those who would energy audits and surveys. like their own turbine, it de­ As Technical Manager for Available from Booksen Mail scribes various systems from Stirling Heatsave Group, I Order, 71 Nile Grove, water heating using a 1kW was particularly interested Edinburgh EH10 4SN with turbine to a central heating in the chapter on staff devel- £1.50p&p

26 Safe Energy 86 Advertise in ISAFE ENERGY) Install your own Solar Heating System for your hot water with our help and save £100s of pounds in labour costs. The advertising rates for the Safe Energy Complete or part kits supplied direct from the Manufacturers of Solar Collectors. Full journal are: design service, 10 year guarantee on 0/H/W Solar Collectors. Also Solar Collectors and Full Page (190mm x 265mm): £140 systems for swimming pools. Full system design service with step by step Half Page (190mm x 130mm): £75 instructions. Send cheque!PO for £1.00 for planning kit Quarter Page (92mm x 130mm): £40 and price list Backed by 15 years' experience in The above prices are for camera ready Solar Heating copy, an additional charge may have to be made for any design and lay up of advert­ details on request. Energy Engineering, FREEPOST SHREWSBURY, Shropshire For further information phone 031-557 SY56BB. 4283/4, or write to Safe Energy (Advertising), Tel: 06944 648 11 Forth Street, Edinburgh EH1 3LE. Member of Solar Trade Association

Are you a reader of Safe Energy who gives money to the nuclear power industry? Too often, when you spend your Special Offer- £12 subscription by Direct Debit money, it goes to companies that Alte

December '91/Jenuary '92 27 LITTLE BlACK RABBIT

Safe Nuclear 1 Hydro power, they inform us: 1) needs urging the Government to break up the !l British Nuclear Forum are the huge tracts of land; 2) can disrupt privatised duopoly. ~ chapswhohavebeenrunning eco-systems. NF can only find one problem with nuclear power: "difficulties with ~ J. full page ads in the press Party pieces under the slogan "come to public acceptance on waste and safety." !l Word has reached LBR of the nuclear power with an open The article concludes "Information and ~ efforts of electricity producers f::• mind". Their own minds, education are the key to nuclear progress." J1 J. at the a utumn Party however, are far from open. Nuclear Conferences. National Forum (NF), their monthly magazine, c Power's stand in Brighton for views its paymaster, the nuclear industry, Son of Safe Nuclear c.• Labour was dominated by through rose coloured spectacles. The nuclear industry's search coal-fired power stations, Orax B in However, even NF is struggling to for their holy grail, a safe particular. By the time the stand got to maintain the pretence of nuclear power as nuclear reactor (to standards Blackpool for the Tories, out had gone "dean, cheap and safe". They have now slightly more rigorous than Orax, in came wave and wind power. come up with a slightly less catchy slogan: those required by NF), At least more consistent, were Nuclear "dean, acceptably cheap and certainly safe continues undeterred by the realities of Elc?ctric, whose stand was the same for enough." Little Black Rabbit wonders if science. both conferences, it might have been better "acceptably cheap" is the opposite of Rival companies and consortia are though for a company at the forefront of unacceptably cheap or of acceptably producing some novel ideas, the nest modern technology, if their video display expensive. And how safe is "certainly safe notable coming from Electricite de France. had been able to match up the pictures enough"? Guaranteed to reassure all those worried with the soundtrack. by the China Syndrome, they have a special pit below the reactor hopefully Safe Nuclear 2: named the "core catcher". Red bill return ofNF The Government's eHorts to Having stuck by the encourage energy saving were attribution "clean", NF /! The spice of life given a boost with the setting examines "the three deanest ~ Michael Spicer- the man who up of a committee, chaired energy sources": wind, hydro ~ J as junior energy ministe r .riiii by Energy Secretary John Wakeham, to put Whitehall's own house in and, yes you guessed it, nuclear! They gave English and Welsh - suggest that "all earn black marks in one .,electrici ty consumers the order. Slightly embarrassing, then, that high way or another." E:: Nationa!PowerGen duopoly on the agenda for U1eir next meeting will be Wind power falls down on two points: - has a new job. the gas bill for the Department of Energy's 1) Stop-go supplies; 2) no means of energy As president of the Association of HQ. £20,444 in 1989/90, the 1990/91 total is storage. - rtllU\ing this as two points is at Independent Electricity Producers, Mr £49,673. Someone must have forgotten to least a case of having their cake and eating it. Spicer's main task will be, wait for it, close a window. Three ways to promote safe energy Three ways to help SCRAM: OH In the appropriate sectlon(s) together with your name and address and return the form to the address below.

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