EDF energy has confirmed this week that Dungeness B nuclear power station will continue its operating life until at least 2028; an extension of 10 years to its current license. Nuclear power at Dungeness has been, and will remain, a major part of our local economy, and this is particularly good news for Romney Marsh. The announcement provides peace of mind for the 550 people directly employed at Dungeness B, and the additional 200 contractors who regularly work at the site. Overall, as well as generating enough power each year to supply 1.5 million homes, EDF energy at Dungeness B makes an annual contribution of over £40 million into our local economy through the wages paid to its employees.
This welcome announcement completes a considerable amount of work over the last few years to secure the future of Dungeness B. EDF have invested over £150 million into the site to support the extension of its license. I have continually requested support from Ministers at the Department of Energy for the continuation of the production of nuclear energy at Dungeness. The nuclear safety inspectorate has also given its support to Dungeness B, and their assessment includes consideration of the expansion of Lydd Airport; although this has never been a concern for the government’s safety inspectors and assessors.
I will continue to press the case with the government for the longer term future of nuclear energy at Dungeness, beyond 2028. Over the last four years I have repeatedly taken this up at the highest levels of the government. At my request, the Prime Minister ordered a government review of the case for a new ‘Dungeness C’ power station. This review, led by the Department for the Environment, made clear that the construction of a new power station would be possible, if it could be built on land that forms part of the existing nuclear site at Dungeness; including land used during the construction of the current facilities. The government has also stressed that the door remains open for any energy company to come forward with proposals for a new power station. As the programme for new nuclear power stations is now underway in the United Kingdom, there is growing interest from around the world in investing here, which makes the prospects for Dungeness event brighter. Dungeness is situated in an area of high energy demand with good connections into the national grid. It is also well known that there is considerable local support for the nuclear industry, which is welcome news for any organisation looking to invest here.
Nuclear power at Dungeness is also good news for the whole region. We need secure, low carbon sources of energy that we can rely on; energy that does not depend on the wind blowing, or the importing of gas and oil over long distances. Last year, nuclear power at Dungeness B spared the production of 3.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide; gas that would have been released by energy production using fossil fuels. This carbon saving is the equivalent to taking 1.5 million cars off of the roads.
