Talk about a crazy world...

[Kudoscycles]

We are loaning £16 billion from the Chinese to build a new nuclear power station under the control and profit share of EDF Energy (French). We are having to do this because of signing up to the Kyoto agreement that force us to close our old coal power stations.
But the Chinese are building coal fired power stations at the rate of one per week and have no thought of the pollution that results.
Really crazy double standards,we seem to be once again the mugs of the world.
Whilst there seems to be an agreed price for electriclty that we will pay from that nuclear station I am sure that the Chinese and French have lots of opt out clauses that let them up that price.
This new station will provide 7% of our power and by 2020 we will have a shortage so they will have a lot of price leverage if they threaten to throw the switch!!!
Once we have done this once I am sure governments will be tempted to do it again,the Tories moaned about the Labour PFI school and hospital finance/leasing...effectively off balance sheet borrowing,this chinese deal is really the same but instead of governments taking responsibility for the loan repayments,this time it will be electric consumers that will foot the bill.
I say keep the old coal stations running until the world finds a better solution.
I notice none of the news mentions who will be responsible for safe storage of the waste,do we believe it will be the French or the Chinese?
I thought we were once Great Britain,why can't we finance our own utilities?
KudosDave

 

[OldBob1]

We are Dave, some super high speed transport system call HS2.
Wonder if we can take our E-bike on it?

Bob

 

[Kudoscycles]

We are Dave, some super high speed transport system call HS2.
Wonder if we can take our E-bike on it?

Bob

Bob,all that cost and wrecking our countryside to knock 10 mins off the London to Birmingham time. I have to travel on that line often,it seems quick enough already.
The gateway into our country is Dover and the Channel Tunnel....there is a high speed connection between Ashford and London,its a good service to St Pancras and then you have to tube/walk/taxi round to Euston,that missing link always adds minimum 30 mins to Dover>the North....why not join up St Pancras and Euston and for minimal cost knock at least 30 mins off that journey time!!!!
KudosDave

 

[Eaglerider]

Bob,all that cost and wrecking our countryside to knock 10 mins off the London to Birmingham time.!!!!
KudosDave

It just beggars belief. Where do these Goons get their ideas from??

 

[Clockwise]

It just beggars belief. Where do these Goons get their ideas from??

Yeah, next they will have some crazy metal bird with metal wings that can zoom a few hundered people across the sky between the 2 places in about 30min

 

[averhamdave]

Yeah, next they will have some crazy metal bird with metal wings that can zoom a few hundered people across the sky between the 2 places in about 30min

Now you are just being silly

 

[RobF]

But the Chinese are building coal fired power stations at the rate of one per week and have no thought of the pollution that results.
KudosDave

Yeah, ruddy Chinks with their dirty energy supplying their dirty factories.

If I were you, Dave, I would have nothing to do with it.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Yeah, ruddy Chinks with their dirty energy supplying their dirty factories.

If I were you, Dave, I would have nothing to do with it.

RobF.......I take your point!!!
You may be amused to know that the chinese have restrictions on their power usage.....they get allocated power for 12 months.....many of the factories I visit have no lighting in the offices,power is saved for production,often no heating but sometimes they still run out 3 months before year end.
I remember in London 1973/74 ish they turned the power off every evening,candles,going to bed to keep warm,all very romantic......On second thoughts,Osbourne,don't bother with that power station we don't need it,hehe....

KudosDave

 

[jazper53]

I am for re nationalizing all the utility companies and to remove the greed factor out of such essential services

 

[tillson]

I am for re nationalizing all the utility companies and to remove the greed factor out of such essential services

They never should have been sold off in the first place. The sales were nothing to do with shared ownership, it was purely intended to line the pockets of government friends and cronies who are also know as useless, leaching, greedy pigs.

This latest con, the sale of the Post Office, was exactly the same. The bankers and traders profit massively from a tax payer owned asset as they race to the feeding trough. Meanwhile a few naive members of the public chase dirty five pound notes as they blow about in the gutter. Strategically thrown there by the government to pacify them

The whole situation is an ugly short sighted spectacle of greed and there will be a day of reckoning to come. That day isn't going to be pretty either.

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

Having worked in the energy industry before it is clear we need a mix of different sources. I do believe we should use cleaner sources of production. China may still be slow to move away from coal but there are signs that even they know that they need to find cleaner ways of meeting their energy needs.

Nuclear is one of these but is expensive. However there is no other realistic way to meet c02 targets. The biggest issue is still what you do with Nuclear waste unlike Norway we do not have the benefit of obtaining nearly all our electricity from Hydro and then selling oil to fill goverment coffers.

Although most importantly we do need prices to go down. Although it does encourage more people to have solar panels even with the reduced feed in tariff rate (prices of solar panels have gone down so the affect of the reduced feed in tariff is reduced). Electricity prices are only going to increase so definately worth the investment (assuming you have a roof which faces in the appropriate direction)

 

[los monty]

They never should have been sold off in the first place. The sales were nothing to do with shared ownership, it was purely intended to line the pockets of government friends and cronies who are also know as useless, leaching, greedy pigs.

This latest con, the sale of the Post Office, was exactly the same. The bankers and traders profit massively from a tax payer owned asset as they race to the feeding trough. Meanwhile a few naive members of the public chase dirty five pound notes as they blow about in the gutter. Strategically thrown there by the government to pacify them

The whole situation is an ugly short sighted spectacle of greed and there will be a day of reckoning to come. That day isn't going to be pretty either.

Coming to a hospital near you soon, closely followed by schools rebadged as academy's. Watch out Maam even the Queen isn't beyond the realms of possibility if you'll excuse the pun.

 

[grldtnr]

RobF.......I take your point!!!
You may be amused to know that the chinese have restrictions on their power usage.....they get allocated power for 12 months.....many of the factories I visit have no lighting in the offices,power is saved for production,often no heating but sometimes they still run out 3 months before year end.

[QUOTE][QUOTE][/QUOTE][/QUOTE]I remember in London 1973/74 ish they turned the power off every evening,candles,going to bed to keep warm,all very romantic......On second thoughts,Osbourne,don't bother with that power station we don't need it,hehe....

KudosDave

Is that the sound of a 'Virtual 'slap n' tickle I hear Dave?

 

[grldtnr]

I think I did summit wrong with that!

 

[flecc]

I strongly support the new nuclear energy deal. The French have the experience, as do the Chinese who, as well as having the money needing investment, have also been successful with nuclear power in parallel to their coal fired generation.

The French went nuclear for energy very early and as a result have the cheapest electricity in Europe. Nearly 80% of their own electricity is nuclear, they supply most of Italy's needs, 10% of our needs and also supply substantial amounts to several other European countries. All that export success is because the cost is so low and shows their wisdom in going nuclear.

If we'd had any sense the windfall of North Sea Oil would have been spent on going almost totally nuclear by 1990, resulting in our meeting and exceeding all the green targets for carbon reduction etc.

Nuclear "waste" is not a problem, it's a potential blessing and not waste at all. Those who say it is a problem need to learn more about the subject.

 

[tillson]

Whilst I support the decision to build the new nuclear plant, I have no confidence that the inadequates running the country will have secured a favourable deal.

 

[flecc]

Whilst I support the decision to build the new nuclear plant, I have no confidence that the inadequates running the country will have secured a favourable deal.

That certainly is a possibility for the early stages of production in particular. This slightly unfavourable deal was inevitable since our politicians had delayed generation decisions to the point where we were over a barrel and open to be blackmailed.

However, I believe all energy prices in future will get ever higher and reach undreamed of levels as resources become more scarce and demand continues to rise, so this could yet be a very good deal with future hindsight.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Looks like the third world is ahead of us on this one...
Who said my posting was not relevant under Electric Bikes!
KudosDave

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

I agree Flecc issue is we do not plan for the long-term we have been avoiding nuclear plant question for years which will leave a gap in supply. Instead of having a long-term plan to meet our energy needs.

I do not know why the greens are against Nuclear as it is low carbon and without it we would never reach targets set out. At least we would have more control if we had a higher % of our energy via nuclear.

 

[flecc]

The greens are changing their view though, Jonathan Porritt and co. now back nuclear so progress is being made.

I agree on our lack of planning, hence my comment on how we should have used the North Sea oil benefit. But better late than never, at least we are making a start now in minimising the future power cuts when the wind fails to blow. And there are plans for several more nuclear reactors before too long, not being spoken about too loudly due to a hostile public.