Cumbria County Council Veto Stage 4 survey for Nuclear Waste Dump

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-21253673

Cumbria nuclear project rejected by councillors

Radioactive waste can be stored in underground vaults at a depth of between 200m (656ft) and 1,000m (3,280ft)

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Further investigations into building a £12bn underground nuclear waste store in Cumbria have been rejected.
Cumbria County Council vetoed a move to "Stage 4" of the search for a site for the radioactive waste facility.

The stage included detailed geological investigations and discussions over the social and economic implications.

There were huge cheers from environmental campaigners outside the council chamber in Carlisle when the decision was announced.

The council voted seven to three against continuing with the plans.

'Truly represented communities'

Its decision ruled out Allerdale Borough Council's own vote on the issue, whilst Copeland Borough Council had voted in favour.

At the meeting, Cumbria council leader Eddie Martin said it was the "most courageous and pivotal decision" the council could make.

Dr Ruth Balogh, nuclear issues campaigner for West Cumbria and North Lakes Friends of the Earth, said she was "absolutely delighted".

"Our representatives have truly represented the communities of west Cumbria and voted against this option," she said.

"The problems of nuclear waste and where to put it is a UK problem and should not be pushed onto the people of Cumbria."

Earlier, leaders of Copeland borough councillors voted six to one in favour of moving to the next stage, however Cumbria County Council had to agree too.

Meltwater and Rain - Flooding

Boggy land turns to lake

Icy Weather Still Here

Everything is still frozen. No new snow, just icy conditions everywhere.

2013 Calendar Delivered

Each year we get a new calendar delivered which provides safety information relevant to the adjacent nuclear power station. This year it arrived today - 23 January!  Had almost given up on receiving it!
This pack has a form to update telephone numbers in case of an off station emergency, a registration form to inform the power station of immediate local residents and a registration form that needs to be handed in to police if an emergency demands evacuation.

Icy Morning Breakfast

Damage to Footpaths by Motorbikes

Motorbikes have been chewing up footpaths as they have driven over areas during the snowy weather of the last two days.

Motorcycle tyre tracks damaging foot paths at Cemlyn.

Feeding Time for Herefords at Wylfa

Snow over Wylfa

Wylfa Lost in Snow

Red warning for heavy snow across Wales.
Not as bad here s in Brecon, but it has snowed from 9am.

Wylfa lost in snow, looking N from A5025 at Tregele.

Demolition of Small Things

Demolition at Wylfa A: small things

Small outer works of Wylfa A have started to be dismantled this week.
East side of the power station. Viewed from the View Point in the Wylfa Nature Trail.

Dawn over Tregele

Dawn over Tregele looking towards Snowdonia.

Hitachi Nuclear Reactor Design to be Tested

Press Release from Department of Energy and Climate Change 15 Jan 2012.

A Generic Design Assessment (GDA) will now be carried out on the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor, which is the only Generation III + reactor which has been in operation anywhere in the world, with four ABWRs in Japan, and three others under construction in Japan and Taiwan.

Scratching Posts

Protective barriers not good enough to withstand cattle using them as scratching posts!
These barriers protect bore hole sites used for earlier geophysical investigations.

Snowdon from Tregele - with pylons

The view towards Snowdon from Tregele also has the view of the National Grid transmission pylons.
Viewed from the B5025 at the end of the access road to Wylfa Power Station.
The upgrade of these pylons will increase their size to carry electricity from the proposed Celtic Array Wind Farm between Anglesey and Isle of Man and/or Wylfa B.

Snowdon viewed through power pylons from Wylfa.
Taken at Tregele. 

More pylons radiate out from the south of Tregele.

View of Wylfa looking over Cemaes Bay

Didn't realise at the time, but the power station is masked by a triangular road sign!
From B5025 looking west.
Wylfa Head to the right. Cooler but sunny morning waiting for snow to move up from the south.

Wylfa, looking over Cemaes Bay with Wylfa Head to right.

Wylfa Nature Trail

The Wylfa Nature Trail is located between the two artificial hills used to mask Wylfa Power Station.
Wylfa Head is in the distance to the right of the picture. The pylons would carry electricity to the National Grid, except no power is currently being generated.

 

Rear View

Rear view of Wylfa power station from the View Point in the Nature Trail in the murky evening light.

Rear view from View Point in Wylfa Nature Trail.

Solar Power Approved at Bodorgan Estate

The Bodorgan Estate, Anglesey has received planning consent for the largest solar power farm in Wales.
It will provide 15 megawatts of electricity and take up the size of 28 football pitches, 70 acres.
Non-nuclear, but is the local authority going to cover the whole island with power generation?
what tourism industry will there be when the whole are is covered in industrial estates and power station?

Low Risk Area

A report by Scottish CND suggests that a reason for the MOD not wanting to relocate nuclear submarine base from Scotland to Devonport is that should there be an accident too many people would be at risk of death in Plymouth. Does that statistic work for power stations as well. ie they are safe - but best keep them in low population areas so that fewer people die if there is an accident? Like Cemaes Bay?
Sellafield has been criticised by nuclear safety watchdog regarding its preparations for emergencies.
EDF delays decision on Hinkley Point.

Magnoxnorth on Youtube

Magoxnorth has a Youtube Channel.
See Wylfa Panorama

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Abandoned Walled Garden

This abandoned walled garden is just by the car park leading to Wylfa Head Nature Reserve.
The kitchen garden to Wylfa Manor.

Date tree within the abandoned garden.

Miller's Houses at Felin Gafnan

The Miller's Houses at Felin Gafnan is just to the west of Cestyll Garden, therefore on the western edge of the proposed Wylfa B power station. The garden is in the pine trees on the right of the picture.

Felin Gafnan looking north.

Another Bird Box

Another bird box within the Wylfa Nature Trail.

Another specialist bird box within Wylfa Nature Trail,

Porth-y-pistyll

This is now the preferred point for a unloading dock to bring in equipment and parts for Wylfa B.

Porth y Pistyll with Cemlyn Bay Trwyn Cemlyn
 and The Skerries / Ynysoedd y Moelrhoniaid in distance. 

Simdda Wen - Farm Building

This farm building at Simdda Wen will probably be demolished.
The farm house itself was demolished to become the Wylfa Sports and Social Club.

"Training of the engineers who would eventually run the power station also took place on site, in a converted farmhouse known as Simdda Wen. The first intake of 20 apprentices took place in September, 1964; the local 16-year-olds received four years of training, before becoming “the youngest engineers to take charge of an atomic power station in the world”. Simdda Wen later became Wylfa Sports and Social Club, providing recreational facilities for the employees and local organisations."

Simdda Wen from west.

Simdda Wen from SE.

Roof structure of Simdda Wen.

Triangular window in north elevation of Simdda Wen.

Roof inside Simdda Wen at east gable.

Animal stalls inside Simdda Wen.

Animal stalls inside Simdda Wen.

South elevation of Simdda Wen.

West gable of Simdda Wen.

East gable of Simdda Wen. 

Simdda Wen from south viewed from the B5025, 

Lifeboat memorial at Cemlyn

This memorial was renovated by Wylfa Power Station.

Cemlyn lifeboat memorial with Wylfa power station at Cylch y Garn
looking east across the bay. 

Detail of the inscription to the Cemlyn Lifeboat memorial.

Reverse side of Cemlyn lifeboat memorial.
The original inscription.