Heysham made news headlines recently with an announcement that two nuclear power stations there are set to generate electricity for longer than originally planned, according to the government and the French-owned energy firm EDF, which operates the two sites.
The nuclear reactors will eventually go through periods of de-fuelling and decommissioning, once their role in generating electricity ends.
A third, smaller nuclear power reactor could potentially be located at Heysham too, some have said. But there are debates about what might the be best mix of options for Heysham, the wider Lancaster district, the UK and the environment.
Heysham is home to other important facilities and assets too, linked to land and sea. The area today includes energy storage facilities for power generated by wind turbines in the Irish Sea. In the past, Heysham had an oil refinery and chemical plants.
The site also has an important sea port with ferry routes to Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, and other maritime and logistics industries. It also has key road and railway links, and land earmarked for potential employment uses.
EDF’s Martin Cheetham, government minister Lord Hunt, Lizzi Collinge MP and EDF’s Ian Glaves at the Heysham nuclear power stations
(Image: Robbie MacDonald LDRS)
Furthermore, Heysham is close to the resort of Morecambe, where the Eden Project is expected, and historic Lancaster, home to a world-class modern university. Lancaster City Council has solar farm plans and other energy and efficiency projects or ambitions.
So the whole area’s mix of assets, people, organisations, experience and skills arguably represents a significant base for future economic, energy, scientific and environmental development.
The district also has a wide political landscape. A range of councillors at Lancaster City Council spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service in a set of reports about their views on Heysham’s current and future prospects.
A view of the Heysham nuclear power station site from the visitor centre
(Image: Robbie MacDonald)
Catherine Potter, a Heysham Labour councillor, said: “Regarding extending the power stations, I am delighted by this. I have complete faith in EDF that it, first-and-foremost, takes safety and security into account. Every additional year of generating power means an extra year of quality jobs that Heysham has enjoyed for 30 years. Residents should be proud that we contribute so significantly to the UK’s energy needs.
“In future, Heysham is uniquely placed to become home to one of the new generation of advanced or smaller nuclear reactors. My colleague, our new MP Lizzi Collinge, is making her voice heard in Westminster to bring this about.
“However, there is competition from other places. It generally seems to be accepted that nuclear power has to be part of the future foundation of electricity provision for the national grid. Heysham already has power grid infrastructure and nuclear expertise amongst our resident population. We have the space, the railway line and the sea – all the necessary ingredients.
“Of the national political parties, only the Greens disagree with this stance, which could be one of the reasons why they fare so badly in local elections in Heysham and Morecambe.”
Green Party councillors have been contacted for their views too. Nationally, the Green Party wants nuclear energy to be phased-out over time, which it says is unsafe and much-more expensive than renewable energy. It also says development of nuclear power stations is too slow, given the need to act on climate issues. The nuclear industry also creates radioactive waste and is inked with nuclear weapons, it says.
‘HEYSHAM ALSO IDEAL FOR RENEWABLES’
Catherine Potter of Lancaster City Council
(Image: Lancaster City Council)
Coun Potter added: “The Heysham power infrastructure also makes us the ideal location for other renewable power generation and storage businesses. The four large off-shore wind farms in the Irish Sea, off Walney Island, already bring their power to the national grid at Heysham. This also generates significant business rates for Lancaster City Council, so helps fund things like our festivals, Salt Ayre Leisure Centre, museums and the Dukes Theatre.
“Planning permission has already been granted for two battery storage plants. These will not be significant employers but they will play their role in the UK achieving its net zero target. So I fully support these.
“There are plans to invest significantly in the port’s development, with its owner, Peel Holdings, currently out to tender for some major contracts. And Stena’s long term commitment to the port, in the news last year, can also be only good for Heysham.
“We are often overlooked compared to Lancaster and Morecambe, however Heysham is one of the major economic drivers of Lancaster district and strategically within the wider north-west.”
WATER, ENERGY AND RAIL OWNERSHIP
Rising water and energy bills, train ticket prices, private and public ownership of regional utilities and infrastructure, investment and profits are at the centre of political debate.
Asked about ownership of strategic assets and utilities, Coun Potter said: “These are entirely my personal views. I certainly think that water supply and sewage treatment, of all things, should be publicly-owned. Although the financial mechanics of making that happen, I’m sure, are incredibly complicated and potentially expensive.
“I applaud the new Labour government’s decision to set up the Great British Energy company and would love to see it invest in a new nuclear power station for Heysham.
“I also applaud the new government’s decision to bring the railways back into public ownership. Railway services have become chaotic and unreliable. The experiment in privatisation has clearly failed.
“As for other forms of overseas private investment, I’m sure much of it is almost impossible to unravel. But there is a massive difference between investment by an ally, such as France or Italy, and investment by an interest of a foreign power that is somewhat less of an ally, notably China, which has a key role in all UK port infrastructure and solar power and batteries.
“Despite the financial and political chaos we see in the news about France, it has to be acknowledged that the country has done well to protect some of its key industries, notably shipbuilding, nuclear power and railways, enabling them to gain some major contracts in the UK.
“We live in an increasingly uncertain geo-political environment. Without being completely protectionist, we need to do better at reducing our reliance on imports and expertise from overseas, and especially from those who might not be considered allies.”
- See other councillors’ views in other ‘Heysham’s future’ features.
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