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The UK is having an architectural contest to “beautify” the proposed Moorside Nuclear reactor Site, which we choose to call a “beauty pageant”. The image of the Toshiba owned Westinghouse AP 1000 looks like a milk churn or can, as seen here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AP1000Reactor.jpg
Milk Churn-Can and Pail https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rpa-releases-april-milk-production-figures
Cows at Moorside site on the Irish Sea, facing Sellafield Nuclear Site
Maybe they will stick a plastic cow in front of the Moorside visitors’ centre to replace the real cows, which they like to make graze near Sellafield and other nuclear sites?
While a Gothic Devil would be more appropriate,
it will not match the simplicity of the, almost 1000 year old, Old St. Bridget’s Church, seen in the distance with the Windscale chimney at Sellafield to the right.
nor the runic standing stone-crosses, which are estimated at around 900 to 1400 years old. This has been a Christian site since at least the 7th century, thus parts of the church could be 1400 years old, or older.
And, so, the UK is having an architectural beauty contest for a Franco-Japanese Westinghouse (AP 1000) nuclear power station in England, even as they cut true renewables. Along with nuclear they are burning the forests of the southeastern US to replace coal: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2016/02/09/where-the-wood-pellet-industry-threatens-us-forests/
As explained by The Ecologist: “Since its election to power in May 2015, the Conservative government has unleashed an astonishing series of attacks on the UK’s renewable energy sector which has included:
* an end to subsidies for onshore wind;
* onerous planning requirements for onshore wind
* the failure to raise the ‘subsidy cap’ for renewable energy
* last year’s cuts to large scale solar farms;
* today’s cuts to medium scale solar farms;
* the deliberate undermining of investor confidence in renewables;
* the scrapping of the requirement for new homes to be ‘zero carbon from April 2016;
* the withdrawal of the Climate Change Levy exemption for renewables;
* huge cuts in support for solar power;
* and most recently, the removal of EIS tax relief for investors in community renewable energy projects“. http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2986190/leaked_letter_rudd_admits_25_green_energy_undershoot_misled_parliament.html See too: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/solar-panel-subsidies-face-heavy-cuts-in-climate-change-hammer-blow-a6777336.html
The UK Nuclear Beauty Pageant seemingly has its roots in the Minister of Energy (DECC), Amber Rudd’s, apparently dizzy statement last summer:
“Beautiful’ nuclear power stations can win over sceptics, says Energy Secretary Amber Rudd“, Friday 5 June 2015 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/beautiful-nuclear-power-stations-can-win-over-sceptics-says-energy-secretary-amber-rudd-10301365.html
Is the new Minister of Energy and Climate Change, Amber Rudd just a bumpkin simpleton, as she appears? Or, is there something hidden behind her apparent foolishness?
It appears more than a PR stunt. It is more money and contracts – perhaps even for Dutch BAM, a former (and perhaps current) client of Amber Rudd’s brother’s company, Finsbury PR firm. One must simply wait and see if there are conflicts of interest involved in this stunt, and how many. BAM is doing work at the Hinkley Point Nuclear site, as part of Kier-BAM.
Radiation Free Lakeland explains this mad Nuclear Beauty Pageant:
“The ‘Moorside’ [Nuclear Power Station] proposal (over an area of three farms by the river Ehen floodplain) would trash increasingly threatened wildlife, special sites of scientific and historic interest, miles of hedgerow and would double Sellafield’s sprawl visible from many Lakeland peaks. It would be the biggest new nuclear build in Europe… “The Royal Institute of British Architects has launched an open design competition for architectural elements on Cumbria’s £10 billion Moorside nuclear power station. The unprecedented contest – described as a world first for the nuclear industry – aims to create a ‘positive lasting legacy’ for the 3.6GW triple-reactor plant. The surprise announcement comes a decade after former RIBA president Jack Pringle condemned government plans for a new wave of nuclear power stations on cost and safety grounds (see AJ 04.05.06). Backed by plant operator NuGen, the RIBA contest seeks ideas for the 200 hectare site’s visitor centre, accommodation block and masterplan. A separate competition – organised by the Landscape Institute (LI) – has also been launched to find ‘creative and sustainable’ proposals for the controversial facility’s surroundings”. See reblog here: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2016/02/02/perception-is-everything/ See original Press Release here: https://www.architecture. com/RIBA/Contactus/NewsAndPress/News/CompetitionNews/Press/NewCompetitions/2016/
MoorsideOpenDesignCompetition.aspx (You can restore link by copying, pasting and backspacing).
“Moorside: Developers launch competition to design visually beautiful nuclear power station. Their reward will be £25,000 each in prize money“, Tuesday 9 February 2016, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/moorside-developers-launch-competition-to-design-visually-beautiful-nuclear-power-station-a6859311.html
See Radiation Free Lakeland Analysis of Beautiful Nuclear (Not). Reblog here: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2015/06/08/alfred-wainwrights-atomic-carbuncle-or-amber-rudds-beautiful-nuclear/
According to Thompson (1993): “The conflict in a conflict of interest exists whether or not a particular individual is actually influenced by the secondary interest. It exists if the circumstances are reasonably believed (on the basis of past experience and objective evidence) to create a risk that decisions may be unduly influenced by secondary interests.” (cited in Lo and Field (2009), cited in wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest, emphasis added, as accessed in March 2014) The OECD prefers “apparent conflict of interest” and “that a reasonable person, knowing the relevant facts, would conclude that the official’s ‘private-capacity interest’ could improperly influence the official’s conduct or decision-making.” For Amber Rudd, we point to “the potential for conflict of interest to arise from the employment or business activities of other members of an employed official’s immediate family.” http://www.oecd.org/gov/ethics/49107986.pdf(emphasis added)
On her predecessor’s more overt conflict of interest: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/uk-energy-secretarys-nuclear-conflict-of-interest-a-commoners-view/ Now that Ed Davey was put out of the DECC, his brother’s law firm can carry on its advisory role with no apparent conflict of interest, as seen in a press release title: “Herbert Smith Freehills advises EDF on securing international investments into Hinkley Point C and sealing agreements with government and suppliers“, London, 22 October 2015
Yet another insanely overt conflict of interest: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2015/05/03/labour-pm-brown-sold-british-energy-to-french-state-owned-edf-for-whom-his-brother-worked/
Family Agenda behind Amber Rudd’s Nuclear “Aesthetics”?
“In July 2015, Private Eye reported that Rudd faces a potential conflict of interest because she is to decide on the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power station whilst her brother Roland is chairman (and founder) of Finsbury, which represents a construction company with a £100m contract to help build the nuclear plant. The Private Eye report noted that despite the MPs’ register of interests including a new category of ‘family members engaged in lobbying’ Rudd “makes no mention of her brother or his interests”, and added, “The Eye asked the Department of Energy & Climate Change if Rudd had told its permanent secretary about Roland and Finsbury (another conflict of interest procedure) but it did not reply“. CC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Rudd (Emphasis our own).
This actually checks out with a Press Release and government document. The company (consortium) is Kier-BAM (Nuttal). BAM is Dutch. Kier was Danish and is now either British or German. This is probably not all to be found of interest on these deals, if anyone wants to dig a bit.
“Roland Dacre Rudd (born 1961) is the founder and chairman of Finsbury(formerly RLM Finsbury), the public relations firm“. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Rudd
From the UK Gov on 17 Feb. 2012:
“Press ref: 2012/012
The UK and France today put the green economy and energy security at the heart of their relationship. This came as companies from both nations agreed a raft of commercial deals, and the two governments signed up to new agreements to cooperate on energy issues.
Deals signed today in the presence of Prime Minister Cameron and President Sarkozy include:
A groundbreaking deal worth £400m on nuclear reactors between Rolls Royce and Areva, including the first EPR reactors at Hinkley Point, Somerset. This will underpin a new Rolls Royce factory in Rotherham and support 1,200 new jobs across the nuclear supply chain in Britain;
A new engineering contract between EDF and Kier/BAM for the UK’s first proposed new nuclear project at Hinkley Point, Somerset, meaning another £100m for companies operating in the South West and 350 jobs;
A £15m investment in a new world class training campus in Bridgwater, Somerset for EDF employees, new starters and the local community.”
OGL, Emphasis our own: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/energy-alliance-with-france-brings-jobs-and-investment
“Press Release | Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:00am EST REG – Kier Group PLC – Kier BAM JV signs £100m+ site preparation contract” http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS45572+20-Feb-2012+RNS20120220 Signed off by Faeth Birch, RLM Finsbury = Amber Rudd brother’s company.
Coincidence or not, the amount doubled after Amber Rudd became head of the DECC. However, no Finsbury found in this press release:
“Kier BAM joint venture agrees £203 million contract in final form for Hinkley Point C“, Thursday, 22 Oct 2015 04:02am EDT http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/BAMNEUR.DEp/key-developments/article/3288474
And, guess what? Title of Press Relase from BAM:
“BAM Danmark wins design and build contract for European School in Copenhagen” 17 November 2015 – BAM Danmark A/S
The project, as found online, appears a hideous blight to Copenhagen’s urban landscape. But, at least, it’s not a radioactive blight. Nonetheless, the Toshiba milk churn-can design is more innovative than the hideous box for the Euro School appears. Will BAM be one of the winners of the nuclear beauty pageant? Everyone must wait and see.
Finsbury also does “Crisis Communications & Issues Management”, which would come in handy during a nuclear disaster!
Regarding work on the Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor (Feb 2012). Project continuation is currently being debated by French State owned EDF 4 years later:
“The site contains a Site of Special Scientific interest (SSSI) and a protected wetland (R.A.M.S.A.R site) but it is due to be cleared by power company EDF in the coming months. Protesters are angry that permission has been given for this work to begin before the company have won permission to build their controversial new nuclear plant.” http://www.stopnewnuclear.org.uk/fr/node/259
Kier BAM are reported to have around 100 workers currently on site at Hinkley Point.
“EDF tells contractors to restart work on Hinkley Point, report says
French group instructs suppliers to restart ‘unconstrained spending’ despite failure to secure additional funding for £18bn project“. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/28/edf-hinckley-point-nuclear-reactor-contractors
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