Thanks to climate change we know for an absolute certainty that the heatwaves, droughts and extreme weather are only going to continue getting worse, at an accelerated pace until we stop emiting CO2 – currently at record output. The CO2 we are pumping into the atmosphere today will continue to affect the climate for the next hundred years.
The Guardian today reports that our incompetent “Government” are thankfully reconsidering spaffing at least £6bn of public money on Sizewell C. For the wrong reasons, of course but in this case the ends justifies the means.
Nuclear power plants rely on vast quantities of fresh water for cooling. Sizewell C for example will need 3m litres of fresh water p/day during construction and 2m litres p/day once operational. Considering the only source of fresh water available is the river x which is already being overused to the tune of 6m Litres
This year France had to turn down power output from several of it’s nuclear plants because the rivers that supply the fresh water for cooling became too warm in the heat wave.
You don’t need to be a clairvoyant to understand that in 14 years time an absolutely critical component required for Sizewell C of cool fresh water will be even more scarce than it is today. EDF already ruled out desalination as not cost effective.
In the face of all this, the mastermind behind the “mini” budget that plunged a nation into a recession expected to last years, Kwasi Kwarteng, gave the go ahead for Sizewell C on the basis that he was sure they’d find the water somewhere in the future.
It’s still not too late too plough billions into insulation, solar and on-shore wind to both boost the economy & reduce our reliance on fossil fuels – which is essential to the survival of humanity & should have begun 30 years ago at least.