Public inquiry likely for Snowdonia nuclear development
7 August 2001
A decision by National Assembly Environment Minister Sue Essex to "call in" the planning application for a massive nuclear storage facility at Trawsfynydd in the Snowdonia National Park has been welcomed by the watchdog body the Council for National Parks (CNP) (1) .
Similar plans for decommissioning the nuclear power station were brought forward in 1998, but following objections, Magnox Electric (2) reviewed their position.
The revised plans involve leaving the radioactive core of the nuclear reactor on site for the next 100 years.
"This issue is of national importance for both Wales and England because of its location in the Snowdonia National Park and the huge scale of activity that would follow from the proposals", said CNP’s planning expert Ruth Chambers. "The work would also act as a precedent for other nuclear power stations to be taken out of service and be used to store nuclear waste. We therefore very much welcome Sue Essex’s decision."
Ruth Chambers concluded: "We hope that Sue Essex will announce that these plans will now be subject to rigorous examination at a Public Inquiry, including all the alternatives for decommissioning."
Notes to editors
1 CNP is the national charity that works to protect and enhance the National Parks of England and Wales and areas that merit National Park status, and promote understanding and quiet enjoyment of them for the benefit of all.
2 Trawsfynydd is now owned by BNFL. The power station was built in the 1950s and generated power for only 28 years before closing in 1993.
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Ruth Chambers, Head of Policy on
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