Call for town to be at forefront of new nuclear technology
COUNCILLOR WANTS TO BID FOR MASSIVE NEW PROJECT
A COUNCIL member has asked the leader of Chesterfield Borough Council to host a major new government project, bring jobs to the area and become home to a UK first.
Lib Dem councillor Tom Snowdon wants the district to become home for a new prototype fusion power plant.
He said: “This is a huge opportunity to create thousands of new jobs in an industry that will help us move forward towards a carbon-free future. It would make Chesterfield a major hub for fusion power.”
A fusion nuclear plant is different to the standard nuclear plants we have today, such as fission plants like Sizewell, and it does not produce nuclear waste, which remains radioactive for thousands of years.
Fusion occurs when two atoms slam together to form a heavier atom, like when two hydrogen atoms fuse to form one helium atom.
This is the same process that powers the sun and creates huge amounts of energy, several times greater than fission.
Councillor Snowdon said: “This project should come to a place like Chesterfield, not just go automatically to an existing scientific centre in the south of England. This would be a good payback for Chesterfield, built on the dangerous coal industry of the past, to now become the home of a clean and pollution-free energy source of the future.”
Earlier this month, the UK government invited UK regions and communities to submit proposals to become the home of a new prototype fusion power plant (Spherical Tokamak for
Energy Production). This is the UK’s ambitious plan to design and build our first fusion power plant.
The government has already committed £222 million to the project.
Councillor Snowdon continued: “Fusion power has a huge potential to be a long-term clean energy source that is environmentally-friendly, with no carbon emissions. It’s inherently safe with abundant and widespread fuel resources, running mostly on hydrogen.
“This project will create thousands of highly-skilled local jobs during the construction and operation of the plant, as well as more jobs in the local supply chain.”
Councillor Snowdon’s question to the council leader at a December 16 meeting was “As a demonstration of our town’s commitment to a carbon-free energy future, will the leader of the council agree to develop and submit a bid for the prototype fusion reactor to be built within the borough of Chesterfield?”
After the meeting he added: “The council leader said she was aware of the project, but was worried about safety and toxic emissions.
“The lack of ambition to bring clean energy production to Chesterfield shown by the council leader last night was disappointing, as was the lack of scientific understanding.
“We should all be aware that the fuel for fusion is hydrogen and the only byproduct is helium, which most people recognise as the gas used to fill balloons. The only danger from party gas helium is getting a squeaky voice.”
Nominations to host the prototype reactor have to be submitted by the end of March next year.