On Friday I visited Dungeness B nuclear power station to meet a group of apprentices learning their trade with EDF and to answer their questions. Dungeness B is a major source of jobs in the constituency, directly employing 550 people and supporting another 200 contractors. These jobs are particularly vital to the Marsh economy, which is why I was delighted EDF extended the life of the power station until at least 2028 and will continue to campaign for nuclear power generation to remain down in our part of South East Kent well into the future.
Ensuring we have a thriving nuclear industry in our part of Kent is a key priority of mine, which is why I organised a meeting with NuScale Power, an energy company from the United States of America which is interested in investing in the development of small scale nuclear reactors (SMRs) in the UK. SMRs are considered to represent the future of the nuclear industry, and the government has launched a design and research competition for their deployment in Britain. I believe that Dungeness could be an ideal location for SMRs, because it is an existing nuclear site, with all of the infrastructure needed to support them. SMRs also require a smaller amount of land than some of the larger new nuclear power stations, like Hinkley Point C in Somerset. This could make it much easier to combine both the future interests of the nuclear industry in our area, and the nature conservation requirements to preserve the previously undisturbed areas of shingle at Dungeness. The government’s plan is to work towards the deployment of SMRs by the mid 2020s. As the current operating life of Dungeness B takes it up to 2028, I would like to see new nuclear power sites up and working before the current facility enters decommissioning. I will do all I can to support the future of this important industry in our area.
