Plaid Cymru oppose nuclear plant mud dump

Plaid Cymru AM Llyr Gruffydd has criticised the dumping of the mud from Hinkley Point in England in Welsh waters.

Contractors NNB Genco, responsible for building and operating the new Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset, plan to dispose of 300,000 tonnes of mud in the Cardiff Grounds, a mile off Cardiff Bay.

Dumping was due to start on the 16 August but has been put back to early September due to what National Resources Wales describes as “external constraints”.

Responding to the controversial plans Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid’s shadow cabinet secretary for energy, climate change and rural affairs said,

“Plaid Cymru opposes the dumping of the waste from Hinkley Point in England in Welsh waters. We believe that it is completely unacceptable and unprincipled that waste from a nuclear construction site in England should be disposed of in Welsh waters.”

“If it disperses or has an effect on the local environment it will be for the Welsh Government to make good any such impact in a protected marine area. Despite this, no payment or compensation has been offered to the Welsh taxpayer.”

A petition against plans to dump the mud has attracted over 7,000 signatures.