Nuclear Power Company Refuses To Answer Questions About Environmental Impacts

The company building a new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset has refused to disclose information about its environmental impact, despite being subject to the same information laws as British utilities. NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited had been asked by Missing Salmon Alliance Member, Fish Legal, to provide information about its decision to drop key environmental protection measures for its new plant.

In a response last week, the company, which is co-owned by French and Chinese energy giants EDF and CDN, confirmed that it does not consider itself to be subject to these laws in the UK.

Initial plans for Hinkley Point C included an acoustic fish deterrent on the plant’s cooling water intake in the Severn Estuary.  However, NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited is now intends to apply to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to remove this fish protection measure. 

Anglers, scientists and environmentalists fear the move could risk extinction of local populations of already threatened and highly protected fish species such as Atlantic salmon and Twaite shad migrating in and out of the rivers Wye, Usk and Severn.  Researchers have calculated that the estimated annual capture rate (impingement) of the system will be over 182 million fish, and it is likely that many of these will not survive.

Acting on behalf of local anglers, Fish Legal requested information about the company’s plans under the Environmental Information Regulations, but NNB Generation Company (HPC) Limited refused the request, claiming it wasn’t subject to the same laws that apply to other private utilities in the UK. Fish Legal will now refer the matter to the Information Commissioner.

Fish Legal solicitor, Geoff Hardy, said:

“NNB’s move to drop key protection measures at the Hinkley Point C water intake could be devastating for resident and migratory fish populations in the Severn Estuary, particularly already endangered species such as Atlantic salmon, shad and European eels.”

He added: “We suspect that this company holds critical information about the likely environmental effects of its plan and the effectiveness of the mitigation it is proposing, but it is stonewalling us.  No company, whether UK or foreign owned, should be allowed to damage wildlife for profit without public scrutiny.  We also want to know what role the UK Government and its agencies played in the decision-making process that could lead to local fish populations becoming extinct.”

Penelope Gane, Fish Legal’s Head of Practice said:

“Fish Legal has spent many years challenging British utilities so that anglers and the wider public have the right to know about the environmental impacts of their operations. We cannot stress enough how important those hard-fought legal victories were. Without that right to information, water companies and other huge utilities could carry about their business without public scrutiny. It seems this fight is not quite over yet.”

She added: “It is extremely concerning that a French and Chinese owned company contracted by our own Government to work on a huge infrastructure project believes itself to be above our laws. The British public have a legal right to know the impact of this nuclear power plant will have on their environment and on wildlife.”