The Environment Agency is seeking the views of local communities around Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea, in Somerset, and parts of South Wales, on applications for environmental permits to operate a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.
The Agency received two environmental permit applications from NNBGenCo, a subsidiary of EDF Energy, relating to operation of a nuclear power station on the North Somerset coast at Hinkley Point, across the Bristol Channel from Wales. The applications relate to discharges and disposals of radioactive waste and operation of standby power supply systems.
Comment on the application
Any comments regarding this application should be sent by 6 October 2011 to:
The Environment Agency
Permitting Support Centre
PO Box 4404 Sheffield
S9 4WF Or you can email your comments:
Please quote the application number EPR/ZP3690SY for the radioactive waste permit and EPR /ZP3238FH/A001 for the proposed standby power supply systems. The Environment Agency must decide whether to grant or refuse the application. If it grants the application, it must decide what conditions should be included in the permit.
‘To go ahead this proposal needs environmental permits from us, a Development Consent Order from the Infrastructure Planning Commission and a nuclear site licence from the Office for Nuclear Regulation. We will be closely examining the applications to enable us to decide whether to grant or refuse the permits. We would like as many people as possible to respond to these applications. We will consider the views of local people before we make our decision,’ said Brian Payne from the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency will review the applications to ensure they contain all the relevant information and then will consult the public for a period of 30 days, between 25 August and 6 October. The Agency will ensure the development meets high standards so that people and the environment are properly protected. ‘We have to grant a permit if the applicant satisfies all the relevant criteria, but feedback from communities can help us to make sure that the conditions in the permit are strict enough to protect the local environment and health,’ added Brian Payne.
A further consultation will be carried out for 12 weeks once the Agency has finished looking at the applications and is ready to make a decision. People will then be able to comment further on what they think our decision should be. This is expected to start in Spring next year, with final decisions made at the end of 2012.
View the application online and at an office near to you
The applications can be viewed at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/hinkleypoint
A copy of the application for public viewing is held at the following locations:
Environment Agency Office
Rivers House, East Quay, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4YS
Environment Agency Office
Rivers House, St. Mellons Business Park, Fortran Road, St. Mellons, Cardiff, CF3 0EY
West Somerset District Council (Williton and customer centre in Minehead)
West Somerset Council, West Somerset House, Killick Way, Williton, Somerset, TA4 4QA.
Sedgemoor District Council
Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, TA6 3AR
Burnham-on-Sea Library
Princess Street, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, TA8 1EH
Somerset County Council
Major Energy Projects, Environment Directorate, Somerset County Council, County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY
North Somerset Council
Corporate Services Unit, Somerset House, Oxford Street, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1TG
Vale of Glamorgan Council
Pollution Control Team, Civic Offices, Holton Road, Barry, CF63 4RU
Any responses received must normally be placed on the public register so people need to say if they do not want the comment to appear on the register.
The application can be viewed at the Environment Agency Office during normal office hours (9am-5pm, Monday to Friday). Please ring in advance to arrange an appointment by calling the National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506. You can also request a copy of the application; however, a charge may be made to cover the cost of copying.
