{"id":9159,"date":"2016-07-01T15:22:19","date_gmt":"2016-07-01T14:22:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=9159"},"modified":"2016-07-01T15:22:19","modified_gmt":"2016-07-01T14:22:19","slug":"power-station-must-be-built","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=9159","title":{"rendered":"Power station must be built"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

The UK faces the very real threat of power shortages in the coming years \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why following through with plans to build the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station is critical if Britain is to keep the lights on in the future.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But last week\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shock vote in favour of the UK leaving the EU has raised doubts in many minds about continued investment in the power station, which is being mainly financed by French company EDF and whose construction has been plagued by delays well before the Brexit vote.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

EDF chief executive Jean-Bernard L\u0102\u00a9vy put these concerns to rest when he said that the company would press on regardless of the EU referendum vote.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Our business strategy is not linked to Great Britain’s political affiliation with the European Union, so we have no reason to change it,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Market analysts believe that the pound will drop, but if the currency falls, the economy becomes more competitive. I think we need to adapt to economic conditions and to exchange rates, which can evolve.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The power station was first scheduled to start operating in 2017, but protracted delays have meant that the start date for electricity generation has been put back to 2025.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

EDF says it is poised to make its final investment decision (FID) this year for the Somerset plant, and Unite along with trade unions Ucatt, Prospect, and the GMB are urging the French company to give the go-ahead soon so that construction can finally start.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe UK trade unions are 100 per cent in support of Hinkley Point C and believe that it is vital to make a final investment decision in a timely fashion soon after the consultation process (between EDF and the French unions) is completed (on 4 July),\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 the unions noted in a letter to EDF Energy chief executive Vincent\u00c2\u00a0 de Rivaz.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bNuclear new build is already behind the curve; we cannot afford further delay and it is vital for EDF to make a final investment decision now,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 the unions added.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bFrom an energy perspective, the UK needs the electricity. We are rapidly losing capacity and this process will continue as the UK coal stations and nuclear stations reach the end of their operating lives.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAt the same time, we are committed to making a transition to a carbon-neutral balanced energy policy in the UK, including nuclear and renewables.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Indeed, Hinkley Point\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s future power output alone will generate 7 per cent of the UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s electricity needs \u00e2\u20ac\u201c its place in the energy mix is vital at a time when coal-fired power stations will be phased out by 2025 and older nuclear plants are being decommissioned.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Renewables such as wind power, while an important part of the country\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s energy supply, simply don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have the capacity to generate enough electricity to meet UK demand.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWind power cannot compete, in the sense that the wind doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t blow when it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not cold and you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t store electricity,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Unite national officer for energy Kevin Coyne.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bCoal and nuclear together provide well over half of the UK\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s electricity,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAnd so if you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have new power stations, how are you going to replace that? The only other source is gas, but gas is a carbon emission.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite and other unions highlighted in their letter to EDF Energy that \u00e2\u20ac\u015bmuch is at stake in both France and the UK,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 including \u00e2\u20ac\u015bjobs, skills, social dialogue, industrial capability and prosperity into the future.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Template<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The unions laid out a template of what needs to happen for the future Hinkley Point workforce.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These include jobs based on direct employment; a radical new approach to recruitment to deliver a diverse workforce to attract those who have historically not been well-represented in engineering and construction, notably women; and high-quality terms and conditions of employment for union members.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt would be a tragedy, in both France and the UK, if all this work and the extraordinary opportunities it provides were to be lost,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 the letter read.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe moment to make the decision is upon us and we have a genuine fear that any further delay will lead to the unravelling of all that we have fought so hard to achieve.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Coyne explained that construction of the plant alone will be a wellspring of jobs for the local Somerset economy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe construction of the plant is based upon 5,000 jobs at any one time, with 22,000 over its six-year lifespan,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The most exciting prospect of Hinkley\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s construction and the jobs it will generate is that these jobs have been negotiated by Unite and other unions under what Coyne calls \u00e2\u20ac\u015bsome of the best agreements we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve ever had.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey provide for a huge quality of pay,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe terms and conditions are good, and trade unions are absolutely central to them. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a clause of no blacklisting and specific methods which ensure that it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t happen \u00e2\u20ac\u201c this is very important to us. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a pension scheme which traditionally you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have in construction.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAnd those are just snapshots,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThere\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so much in the agreements that are very impressive.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Coyne added that the final investment decision by EDF Energy in Hinkley Point \u00e2\u20ac\u015bwill be the first litmus test, following the Brexit vote, that much-needed investment in large infrastructure projects is still coming on stream.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ucatt acting general Brian Rye agreed, saying that the \u00e2\u20ac\u015bfinal go-ahead on Hinkley will demonstrate whether foreign-owned companies are still prepared to invest in the UK. The government needs to ensure that they get this deal over the line.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

GMB national secretary Jim Bowden argued \u00e2\u20ac\u015bour energy needs have not changed since last week.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe UK must have a balanced, low carbon energy mix, including renewables, gas and nuclear power if we are to keep the lights on, our homes heated and the economy functioning,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UK faces the very real threat of power shortages in the coming years \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why following through with plans to build the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station is critical if Britain is to keep the lights on in the future.   But last week\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shock vote in favour of the UK […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[486,474,213],"wps_subtitle":"Unite calls for Hinkley Point C decision","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9159"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9159"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9159\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9160,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9159\/revisions\/9160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}