North nuclear campaign group plans to widen its remit and change its name
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A NORTH campaign group, which was set up ten years ago to oppose the transport of nuclear material from Dounreay, plans to broaden its remit and change its name.
Highlands Against Nuclear Transport (HANT) is set to become Highlands Against Nuclear Power (HANP) in a bid to extend its role to include proposed new nuclear plants, nuclear weapons and the proposed Geological Disposal Facility (GDR). However, HANT chairman, Tor Justad, stressed the new body would continue to campaign on nuclear transport issues as well.
He said: "Producing electricity with nuclear power is twice as expensive as with renewables, poses unacceptable risks of accidents, provides bi-products for nuclear weapons, produces carbon at all stages of development and is the technology of the past with no solution to dealing with the 100 tonnes of UK nuclear waste stored at Sellafield as the proposed GDR is only at an early consultation stage."
Mr Justad says there are many issues HANP would raise in future years, including the proposal to build small modular reactors at the Moray Firth Freeport and the increase in radioactive particles found earlier this year on the shoreline adjacent to Dounreay.
HANP would call for the closure of the remaining nuclear reactors in Scotland and continue to campaign against nuclear transport "as there is still a large amount of waste to be transported away from Dounreay in future years."
"The change to Highlands Against Nuclear Power is a recognition of the wider remit which we have gradually adopted," he said.
Mr Justad argues that renewable energy is the way forward as it is "a cheaper and cleaner way of producing electricity in the future than nuclear."
"Both onshore and offshore wind are progressing rapidly but there is an urgent need for increased focus and investment in solar, wave and tidal energy as well as Government support for insulation and installation of renewable heating systems in buildings," he said.
The new group plans to co-operate with bodies such as Nuclear Free Local Authorities, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Greenpeace and Scottish CND. It would urge Highland Council to halt new nuclear development proposals and wants the local authority to publish up-to-date emergency planning proposals related to Dounreay.
Mr Justad said the changes to the name and constitution will be proposed at HANT's next annual general meeting. It will also update its website and publicity materials.
He said the change to HANP is important and reflects the concerns of the public and the group's members and supporters.
Mr Justad said the decommissioning of the Dounreay nuclear plant has involved regular transport by rail and sea to Sellafield and by air to the United States. "HANT has always argued that the safest way to deal with nuclear material is on site, above ground under constant monitoring and security. Experience from throughout the world has shown that as soon as nuclear materials are moved the risks of accidents increases," he stated.
The campaign group is represented on the Dounreay Stakeholder Group and has been "active in holding Dounreay and the adjacent Vulcan submarine reactor test site management, regulators and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to account by trying to obtain information that should be in the public domain as it is of public interest," added Mr Justad.
