Power struggle Got the power
I am surprised by the trenchant endorsement by our much-respected local newspaper of MP Penny Mordaunt’s blatant appeal to her local powerbase by asserting that reliance on interconnector imports of French electricity is a threat to our national interest and security.
The claim will not stand up to serious scrutiny. Britain is not selfsufficient in energy, and this has a serious affect on our energy security.
For sound ecological reasons we have phased out all our coal-fired power stations, relying instead on imported gas, oil, nuclear, and renewable energy sources to keep industry moving and the lights burning.
To combat potential demand surges we also import around
3 per cent of electricity via interconnectors primarily from France and the Netherlands, and in turn export any surplus.
The greatest threat is transparently from the foreign suppliers of the natural gas and oil used to fuel our power generating capacity. They could literally hold us to ransom at a whim by hiking energy prices or cutting off supplies.
Ms Mordaunt’s adding fuel to anti-EU sentiment by singling out imported French nuclear-powered electricity as a dispute weapon, has the potential to rebound big time. The French Government state owned Electricite de France – EDF – manages eight of the currently owned UK nuclear reactor sites generating some 9 GW and are contracted to build six new plants before 2040. EDF supplies electricity and gas to millions of UK homes, and is at the forefront of energy conservation technology.
The real question is what if the fishing war with France continues to be stoked up by self-serving politicisation rather than the restoration of past relatively harmonious relations? What if emotional tensions escalated and following another skirmish EDF were ordered to implement the nuclear option by pulling the plug on the UK and their considerable segment of electricity generation? Ms Mordaunt’s support to realign British interests and take them out of the realm of compromise and by design set them against a large and powerful union of all the countries around us has already had consequences.
In an age of information, the views of those in public office who make news must be judged on whether they are meaningful or simply noise. While there are difficult truths to be reported, those in powerful positions must never be free from their words and actions being scrutinised or held to account.
Once again we have the anti-Aquind electrical supplies protests.
Then there are the anti-nuclear, anticoal, gas and oil electrical generation brigade.
I would like to know where these protesters think the future additional electricity supplies are coming from to power all the extra electrical equipment they have in their homes and to recharge the batteries in their electronic devices and electric cars?
If they believe solar and wind power will be enough then they are living in cloud cuckoo land. Can they please supply the answer before we start to experience the inevitable power cuts.
Bill Trace
Dovercourt Road, Cosham