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| Nuclear power climate change risk | Nuclear power climate change risk |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A new study into the potential impact of climate change on Britain's nuclear power stations highlights the threat of rising seas and increasingly severe storms, BBC News learns. | A new study into the potential impact of climate change on Britain's nuclear power stations highlights the threat of rising seas and increasingly severe storms, BBC News learns. |
| Specialists from the Met Office were commissioned by the nuclear power company British Energy to assess the risks of global warming. | Specialists from the Met Office were commissioned by the nuclear power company British Energy to assess the risks of global warming. |
| All of the UK's working nuclear power stations are located on the coast - sites originally chosen for their remoteness and to guarantee supplies of cooling water. | All of the UK's working nuclear power stations are located on the coast - sites originally chosen for their remoteness and to guarantee supplies of cooling water. |
| But the Met Office researchers have forecast global warming is likely to bring three changes which could combine to pose serious risks - rising sea-levels, increased wave height and increased height of storm surges. | But the Met Office researchers have forecast global warming is likely to bring three changes which could combine to pose serious risks - rising sea-levels, increased wave height and increased height of storm surges. |
| Constant maintenance | Constant maintenance |
| The study concludes none of the current generation of power plants are at risk. | The study concludes none of the current generation of power plants are at risk. |
| But the findings have implications for the planning of the next generation of British nuclear power stations. | But the findings have implications for the planning of the next generation of British nuclear power stations. |
| The government is planning to release its criteria for possible sites in March. | The government is planning to release its criteria for possible sites in March. |
| We would locate the station within the site in such a position that we don't perhaps have to work quite so hard in maintaining these hard defences David Norfolk, British Energy | We would locate the station within the site in such a position that we don't perhaps have to work quite so hard in maintaining these hard defences David Norfolk, British Energy |
| At Sizewell in Suffolk, for example, site of Britain's most modern reactor, the prediction is for the most severe storm surges to be 1.7 metres higher in 2080 than at present. | At Sizewell in Suffolk, for example, site of Britain's most modern reactor, the prediction is for the most severe storm surges to be 1.7 metres higher in 2080 than at present. |
| And at Dungeness in Kent, the storm surge increase could be up to 0.9 metres. | And at Dungeness in Kent, the storm surge increase could be up to 0.9 metres. |
| Already the Dungeness plant, which is sited on land only two metres above sea-level, is protected by a massive wall of shingle which needs constant maintenance in the winter. | Already the Dungeness plant, which is sited on land only two metres above sea-level, is protected by a massive wall of shingle which needs constant maintenance in the winter. |
| Waves erode so much of it that it needs to be topped up constantly with 600 tons of shingle every day. | |
| 'Hard defences' | 'Hard defences' |
| Met Office researcher Rob Harrison, who led the study, told the BBC "very large potential changes are in prospect" what we're trying to do is avoid a catastrophic effect. | Met Office researcher Rob Harrison, who led the study, told the BBC "very large potential changes are in prospect" what we're trying to do is avoid a catastrophic effect. |
| "There's no immediate concern but in the future the extremes may become more severe, especially with the combination of bigger waves and surges. It's reassuring that British Energy are being proactive about this." | "There's no immediate concern but in the future the extremes may become more severe, especially with the combination of bigger waves and surges. It's reassuring that British Energy are being proactive about this." |
| All working nuclear power stations in the UK are located by the sea | All working nuclear power stations in the UK are located by the sea |
| The Met Office study finds the rise in storm surge heights will be most extreme along the coast of south-east England - the shorelines at Dungeness and Sizewell bearing the brunt of the effects. | The Met Office study finds the rise in storm surge heights will be most extreme along the coast of south-east England - the shorelines at Dungeness and Sizewell bearing the brunt of the effects. |
| One option for the nuclear operators is to build stronger sea defences. Another is to site future power stations further inland. | One option for the nuclear operators is to build stronger sea defences. Another is to site future power stations further inland. |
| David Norfolk, a member of British Energy's strategy team, said any new power plant could be located further from the sea to provide more of a buffer for any flooding. | David Norfolk, a member of British Energy's strategy team, said any new power plant could be located further from the sea to provide more of a buffer for any flooding. |
| "We would locate the station within the site in such a position that we don't perhaps have to work quite so hard in maintaining these hard defences - put it further back so we have more land, more space to absorb any water that comes over, to attenuate the energy of the sea." | "We would locate the station within the site in such a position that we don't perhaps have to work quite so hard in maintaining these hard defences - put it further back so we have more land, more space to absorb any water that comes over, to attenuate the energy of the sea." |
| The study follows a similar Met Office investigation last year into the impact of climate change on conventional power plants. | The study follows a similar Met Office investigation last year into the impact of climate change on conventional power plants. |