The origin of Britain's civil nuclear programme is closely linked with nuclear weapons. The first reactor - the "Windscale Piles" at Sellafield, began producing plutonium for nuclear weapons 1950. Britain's first commercial reactor - Calder Hall at Sellafield - was a dual-purpose reactor, with the main purpose being the production of plutionum for Britain's nuclear weapons. The same applies to the second commercial reactor at Chapelcross.
Later reactors were primarily built for the production of electricity, and in April 1995 the UK Government announced that all production of plutonium for weapons purposes had ceased.
At its peak in 1997, about 26% of Britain's electricity was generated by nuclear power. This has now gone down to less than 20%, and only 16% in 2009.
At present, the government wants to build new nuclear power stations at eight sites - all of which are existing nuclear sites. However, opposition to nuclear power is again growing. This website provides information for the growing anti nuclear power movement in Britain, with a special focus on nonviolent direct action against nuclear power.
Recent posts
21 Nov 2014 - 09:23
On November 20th KN leafleted the Nuclear New Build Forum.
This is the text which was used.
------------------
We're here today to ask you if building any more nuclear power plants is really such a good idea?
Japan has highlighted one of your industry's main problems by building 7 GW of solar in 2013 alone. That’s equivalent to about six nuclear power stations but built in only one year, while nuclear power stations take over 15 years to build!
13 Nov 2014 - 12:17
31 October 2014
Statement to:
Mr Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan
Mr Keiichi Hayashi, Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom
The announcement made on 11 April 2014 to restart the Nuclear Power Stations in Japan is utterly criminal folly.
We stand here in solidarity with the people of Fukushima and Japan to demand a nuclear-free society.
13 Nov 2014 - 12:03
31 October 2014
Statement to :
Mr Fumio Sudo, Chairman of Tokyo Electric Power Company
Mr Naomi Hirose, President of Tokyo Electric Power Company
We stand here today in solidarity with the people of Fukushima and Japan to demand a nuclear-free society.
11 Nov 2014 - 16:53
We are sad to announce the death of Margaret Toomey in
October 2014. She died suddenly of a 'ruptured aortic aneurism'
so, it was very quick and she wouldn't have known what
happened. Tragically, it was a condition she was unaware of.
Margaret had been a regular and enthusiastic attender at the
“Remember Fukushima” vigils Kick Nuclear has organised every
Friday for the last 2½ years outside the Japanese Embassy in
Piccadilly and the nearby offices of the Tokyo Electric Power
Company.
Margaret had been a long-time activist for the environment and
10 Sep 2014 - 19:27
Kick Nuclear will be leafleting the WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE,
which will be held at the Central Hall, Westminster on September 11th & 12th 2014
Here is the text of the leaflet which will be handed out on the day:- --------
WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2014
We are gathered in front of your annual get-together to try once more
to bring you up to speed on developments in the global energy scene.
Nuclear has been overtaken by renewables, as they are cheaper, cleaner,
21 Aug 2014 - 10:32
LEAFLET NUCLEAR TRAIN STATIONS ON SEPTEMBER 27th
In July we held a co-ordinated leafletting session at some of the train stations through which trains carrying highly-reactive nuclear fuel rods from nuclear power stations (“nukiller trains”) go. This was moderately successful.
We are calling for a 2nd more extensive such action on September 27th. The aim is to leaflet people in the vicinity of the stations to inform them that such trains go through their local station and the dangers they represent.
19 Aug 2014 - 16:00
It has been 3 ½ years since the triple meltdown in Fukushima, Japan, and the situation
over there is steadily sliding further out of control. The three melted-down reactors are
all leaking out into the environment, and efforts to deal with this constant leakage are
not getting anywhere. The mountains to the west funnel rain and ground water through
the site, and 400 tons of this water a day are estimated to enter the reactor buildings, mix
with the reactor fuel, then head out into the Pacific Ocean – every single day since the
16 Aug 2014 - 18:45
NOW IS THE TIME FOR PERMANENT CLOSURE: A RESPONSE TO THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF NUCLEAR REACTORS AT HEYSHAM 1 AND HARTLEPOOL IN 2014.
by Tim Blades
In May 2014 Noam Chomsky gave a lecture at Durham University during which he quoted American General Lee Butler:
'we had so far survived the nuclear weapons era “by some combination of skill, luck, and divine intervention, and I suspect the latter in greatest proportion.”.” (1)
del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
identi.ca
MySpace
Reddit
SlashDot
StumbleUpon
Twitter