The future of nuclear energy at Dungeness received a boost last week, as EDF made a firm commitment to support the ten year life extension of the power station to 2028. This would safeguard for another decade the hundreds of jobs at Dungeness B power station, and the many others that are linked to it.
EDF have signed an agreement with the firm Doosan Babcock to provide the maintenance for the power station through to this extended period of operation. Last year when Vincent de Rivaz, the Chief Executive of EDF, visited Dungeness to open the new visitors centre, he stated his aspiration for the continuation of their operations at Dungeness, and this new announcement of their intent is further good news. The final decision will be made before the end of this year, but with both EDF and Government Ministers supporting an extension, we should be well placed.
An extension to the operating life of Dungeness B also gives us more time to secure a third generation nuclear plant at the site. Last year the government started the new nuclear programme for Great Britain when it agreed a deal with EDF to support the construction of Hinkley Point C power station in Somerset. This has created interest from around the world from companies who want to be part of the programme of new nuclear power stations, which can only be good news for Dungeness. The government has expressly not ruled out Dungeness as a potential site, and as work starts at locations like Hinkley Point, Dungeness will move up the order of preference for new power stations. Developments in nuclear technology are also making it easier to construct power stations on sites where there is a limited about land available, and again this could help the case for Dungeness. I supported nuclear power at Dungeness in my very first speech in the House of Commons, and I will continue to campaign for its future success.
Last Friday I was also at the lifeboat station at Dungeness to see the launch of the new RNLI Lifeboat. Dungeness is fortunate to be the first station in the country to receive one of the new Shannon class of lifeboats, that have been specially designed to make it quicker and easier to launch from locations like Dungeness, where the lifeboat station is a short distance from the waters edge. Stuart Adams, the Coxswain of the lifeboat, and his crew have been putting their new vessel through its paces in sea trials around the coast, and certainly gave an impressive display at Dungeness.
On Monday I spoke with a group of year 12 students from the Folkestone School for Girls during their visit to the houses of parliament. It was great to hear their views about the future of our area and discuss our plans for 2014. That evening a number of them also featured on BBC1’s ‘Inside Out’ programme which was looking at part of Folkestone’s story during the First World War.