Plaid facing criticism over its position on nuclear energy
ENVIRONMENTALISTS and anti-nuclear campaigners have criticised Plaid Cymru’s stance on nuclear energy, describing it as “specious”.
Plaid has long had a complicated position on nuclear energy. While the party was in principle opposed to it for many years, former leader Ieuan Wyn Jones was allowed to support the Wylfa nuclear power station in his Ynys Môn constituency.
More recently Plaid has refined its position, saying that it is against new nuclear power stations except on sites in Wales where one has previously existed.
Earlier this year the Japanese Hitachi group halted work on a new nuclear power station called Wylfa B on the site of its now decommissioned predecessor.
Neil Crumpton of the campaign group Pawb (People against Wylfa B) said: “Plaid’s policy not to develop new nuclear on new sites is specious. It means they would favourably consider building on the Wylfa and Trawsfynydd sites and a 2.9 gigawatt Wylfa scheme would produce more electricity than Wales consumes.
“If Plaid aims for Wales to be independent by 2030 then the funding models for any [such schemes] would presumably fall on the Welsh public – consumers and taxpayers.
“Any exports to England, Scotland or Ireland would be dependent on the price being cost-effective.”
Mr Crumpton said a new Wylfa scheme would only work for Wales if the other nations contributed upfront towards its cost before independence.
Plaid Cymru Ynys Môn candidate Aled ap Dafydd said: “Measuring our future energy needs and how to meet those needs whilst cutting carbon emissions are complex issues, and are among the most important issues of our time. It’s certainly difficult to analyse the impact of two hypothetical power stations, with an as yet undeveloped technology, although I must say that recent experience makes smaller nuclear more likely than the larger model which has faced so many challenges, not least here in Ynys Môn.
“I’m aware that some political opponents, including Labour and the Conservatives, are being dishonest about how easy it would be to deliver a new Wylfa, for example.
“I’ll always put Ynys Môn first, prioritising the need to bring local jobs and local benefits. That’s why I’m proposing that Plaid Cymru’s new Ynni Cymru (Energy Wales) body would be based on Anglesey.
“In this election Plaid is proud to be highlighting our plans for a Green Jobs Revolution which will ensure that Wales makes the transition to becoming 100% self-sufficient in renewable energy by 2030.
“That would create tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs in Wales over the next 10 years, with Anglesey at the heart of that growth.”