PROFESSOR Jack Ponton (Letters, April 9) points out that the security of
Scottish electricity supplies depends on the existence of two nuclear power
stations.
One of these, Hunterston B, is located in my council area.
Hunterston B will cease generation in 2022/3, after which the
renewable-based electricity supply will be very insecure indeed unless more
reliable base-load electricity generation is created in the meantime.
The council has a policy of supporting new nuclear build and electricity
generation at Hunterston. However, the minority SNP group on the council
does not back the policy and the SNP at Holyrood has taken the decision in
its new National Planning Framework (NPF3) to remove national planning
status, and therefore any possibility of new nuclear electricity
generation, from the Hunterston peninsula.
We are therefore left with the situation that the need for new electricity
generation is clear, the site exists and has been in use constantly and
safely for 60 years, the necessary skills exist (for the time being), the
jobs are desperately needed and the local council supports new nuclear
generation. However, because of the opposition of the SNP at Holyrood and
in North Ayrshire Council, the most obviously sensible solution to the
problem is ruled out for purely ideological and dogmatic reasons and North
Ayrshire no longer has any sites of national economic development status.
For an area with some the highest unemployment in the UK this is a disaster
and, for the security of Scotland’s electricity supply, it is an avoidable
risk and an obvious foolishness.
Alex Gallagher,
Labour councillor, North Ayrshire Council, 12 Phillips Avenue,
Largs.
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