A Sustainable Energy Strategy For Wales

EDM number 1760 in 2003-04, proposed by Llew Smith on 18/10/2004.

That this House notes that the conference, titled 'Could the Lights Go Out in Wales?' organised by power generator Npower and the lobby group, Trade Unions for Safe Nuclear Energy, held in Cardiff on 18th October, heard support from new nuclear plants to be built; notes that in association with the conference, Derek Walker, the Wales TUC's head of policy and campaigns, said that, at this stage, nuclear energy should not be discounted as part of the energy solution, and that 'There is increasing doubt about whether renewable energy generation ... can meet our future energy needs, resulting in potential energy deficit'; believes that nuclear is an unforgiving hazard to society, posing a threat from nuclear accidents, and, even if operating properly, remains expensive, produces nuclear waste for which there is as yet no agreed management solution, and increases the terrorist threat; recalls that Welsh upland farms are still suffering from the impact of the radioactive fallout of Chernobyl nuclear accident 1,800 miles away 18 years ago; and therefore believes that a sustainable energy strategy should be adopted involving renewable energy such as active and passive solar, ecothermal, wave and tidal power combined-cycle combined heat and powerplants and associated local heat grids, clean coal and the widespread installation of energy saving and energy efficient technologies and techniques in home, businesses and industry; and encourages the ministers responsible to move ahead and implement such a sustainable strategy.

This motion has been signed by a total of 24 MPs.