BAN - Bradwell Action Network

19/12/2024

Andrew Blowers tackles this ongoing question in the December 2024 issue of Regional Life magazine

Will the legacy of nuclear power ever disappear from our coasts? 17 December 2024 Andrew Blowers tackles this ongoing question in the December 2024 issue of Regional Life magazine Back in the last century a fleet of nuclear power stations emerged, their bulky and threatening presence dominating peac...

27/10/2024

Now about to start its third year, Nature in our Neighbourhood will be kicking off again in October,
with a talk from Stephen Dewick about moths and butterflies. He has taken some splendid photos,
so it will be a good session.
In November we have Jonney Aldridge talking about local trees and the national initiatives to
protect trees from disease.
We will not be meeting in December but have a good line-up planned for the New Year Including
Malcolm Hardy on revitalising intertidal shorelines using nature-driven approaches, Steve Spicer,an
Essex Wildlife Warden, on the Danbury Ridge, and Chris Harris, an experienced birder, on birds.
The speakers all know their stuff and are able to talk about it engagingly.
Se please do think about coming along to the Village Hall, 7.30 on Wednesdays, either the 4 th or the
5 th Wednesday in the month.
We have a cuppa and a piece of home made cake over a chat after the session.
Timetable
30 th October: Stephen Dewick on moths and butterflies
27 th November: Jonney Aldridge on local trees and initiatives to protect them
December: no meeting
29 th January: Malcolm Hardy on Revitalising intertidal shorelines
26 th February: Steve Spicer, on Danbury Ridge
26 th March: tbc

17/08/2024

Nature in our Neighbourhood

Summer wildflower walk
We set off from Othona to walk along the sea wall on a hot Saturday in mid-August. There were 3 of us, led by Jonney.
The tide was in, the sea smelt fresh and salty, the sound of waves calming. We saw how the Othona lower field on the land side of the sea wall is now occupied by some substantial trees, where before it was bare. The marsh plants, like samphire, are still occupying the ground even though it is now dry. Yellow rattle is well embedded, alongside alexanders and sea beet. Walking along the sea wall, on the sea side, we found a lot of vigorous phragmites.
The land is dry, the grass brittle, so there was a conversation about fire breaks and the need to get rid of the thatching to reduce the risk– the dry grass left after the Environment Agency’s grass cutting between the sea wall and the boro’ d**e. The water in the d**e was high but the bird life sparse. There are vigorous wild roses, some with robins pincushions, black thorn and bramble.
We walked past the flax fields, where earlier in the year, the fields were perfectly bright blue. Around the edges of one field, we found pea legumes, grown for animal feed. Jonney recalled the path we walked along being lined by elms, now bare. The death of elms in and around Bradwell is still felt as a real loss to our environment. Field maples and oaks – some compensation - have been planted on either side of the path near the corner with the Othona road.
It was a lovely walk under a bright blue sky, with deep knowledge being shared through lively discussion.

Jonney and Kevin look at where the new ponds are going to go, on Othona land inside the sea wall.


Coming back from checking out the edges of the flax field, where they found pea legumes.


Jonney led the walk, gathering up bits of plastic we found along the way!


Elizabeth Bayliss
17th Aug 24

28/07/2024

📣Andy Blowers takes EDF to task over thier recent marketing attempts of Bradwell for SMR’s. And does a crackin good job of it - worth reading. Well done Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group - BANNG 👏

See our 9th July post for more on this story 👇

EDF makes false and misleading claims for Bradwell site 26 July 2024 Press Release – 16 July, 2024 EDF’s Claims for Bradwell site are false and misleading, says BANNG The Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (BANNG) has rejected the claim made by the spokesperson of the French state-owned compan...

24/07/2024

The stop Sizewell C campaign has a plan, you can support them via the link

Sizewell C is in the new government's in-tray, but what to do? We understand that Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is hinting that the decision whether or not to go ahead with Sizewell C belongs to the Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, but the reality is they all need to hear why...

09/07/2024

EDF seems to believe we are supportive of new nuclear in Bradwell - delusional or simply lies, we will be ready to put them right when the time comes.

EDF’s withdrawal leaves five companies vying for government backing

21/01/2024

Nimbist (a word I just made up) MP Theresa Coffey is at it again. However, a spokesman for National Grid said: “We have published an environmental study of Bradwell on our website, as part of the Norwich to Tilbury project, which found that the numerous highly protected and ecologically sensitive sites around Bradwell would require significantly more onshore infrastructure to bring the energy to where it is needed, than otherwise would be necessary.

"Alongside this, connecting Sea Link in to Bradwell would not reinforce the electricity network in the place where it is required. As a result, these options were not progressed.”

So there Theresa, keep your nose out of our business!

Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey has called on National Grid to publish the reasons for refusing to use Bradwell for cables from offshore wind…

13/01/2024

Andy Blowers of BANNG comments on the governments new nuclear road map. ‘There is little encouragement in the Government’s latest plans for developers to look again at the Bradwell site. Indeed, the failed attempt by CGN, the opposition of Councils, stakeholders and the general population must all conspire to make Bradwell a most unappetising proposition.’

Bradwell – Falling Off the (Road)Map. 12 January 2024 Press Release – 12 January, 2024 Government’s New Civil Nuclear Roadmap effectively rules out Bradwell. Despite the Government’s recent re-announcement of a massive expansion of civil nuclear power, the Blackwater Against New Nuclear Grou...

10/01/2024

Peter Banks, a member of both the BAN - Bradwell Action Network and Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group - BANNG teams, recently wrote an interesting article about a distant and not-so-distant visit to Bradwell A, which you can find below. Here's a quote: "It appears that some of the chickens are coming home to roost. The discoveries of extensive radioactive contamination around the site has triggered the imperative to keep potential intruders at bay, out of all the shiny buildings, including the radioactive waste store, and the contaminated underground labyrinth of tunnels and ducts. How ludicrous would it be to introduce a new power station next door and go through the whole cycle again?"
https://www.banng.info/news/bradwells-dark-secrets/

06/11/2023

There has been some recent upsetting posts where Suffolk campaign groups have suggested that Bradwell would be a better location for the Sealink National Grid upgrade. The following from the National Grids website explains why Bradwell is not, and will not, be considered for this project.

“Why is Sea Link not connecting to Bradwell?
As part of the development of our proposals, we have undertaken several studies to confirm where in East Anglia would be most suitable to connect into. These studies determined that connecting in the Sizewell area is the preferred solution for Sea Link.

Connecting into Bradwell does not reinforce the electricity network in the place where it is needed. Notwithstanding that, there are other factors like the need for additional overhead line infrastructure, coupled with other technical and environmental constraints which make connecting into Bradwell unsuitable.”

We hope they answer your questions and we will continue to update them as our work progresses. If your question is not listed below, get in touch with the team using the details provided on the Contact us page.

01/10/2023

Disturbing news snippet in the latest NFLA newsletter as follows:
“Bradwell: Sunak gives China green light to build UK nuclear plants despite nation being ‘threat to our way of life’. The Government has rejected calls for Chinese state-linked firms to be excluded entirely from Britain’s nuclear sector. China will not be permanently barred from investing in Britain’s nuclear energy despite posing a “threat to our open and democratic way of life”, the Government has said. Chinese investment was behind the Bradwell power station development, which had been put on hold. China is also a minority stakeholder in Hinkley Point C. The Government’s announcement may mean a new lease of life for Bradwell.”

03/09/2023

One to keep an eye on 👀 presumably they will be looking to site the demo plant somewhere in the U.K. 🤔

New reactors can generate electricity and produce hydrogen

19/08/2023

🙏 Thank you to those that joined us for our Nature in Your Neighbourhood Coastal Walk today. Unfortunately due to a plantar injury I couldn’t join in, but what a gorgeous day you had for it. I hope you enjoyed Jonney’s enthusiasm and knowledge👏

12/07/2023

Bradwell Revisited – echoes of 1980s as Government looks for somewhere to dump radioactive waste

Andrew Blowers records how protests stopped nuclear dumping at Bradwell and would likely do so again in the June 2023 BANNG column for Regional Life

Bradwell Revisited – echos of the 1980s 8 June 2023 Bradwell Revisited – echoes of 1980s as Government looks for somewhere to dump radioactive waste Andrew Blowers records how protests stopped nuclear dumping at Bradwell and would likely do so again in the June 2023 BANNG column for Regional Lif...

30/06/2023

So much for “green” nuclear!

More than 250 kilos of cooling liquids "escaped" from the system producing cold water for the EPR in Flamanville (Normandy). Not yet in service, but
already supplied with nuclear fuel, the reactor, like all its congeners, needs cooling. This cold is produced using coolant liquids which turn into gas when they are at normal atmospheric pressure. Given the chemical composition of these liquids, these gaseous emissions generated by the leaks have a strong global warming potential, much more powerful than CO2.

Plus de 250 kilos de liquides de refroidissement se sont "échappés" du système refroidissant l'eau de l'EPR de Flamanville (Normandie). Pas encore en service, mais déjà fourni en combustible nucléaire, le réacteur a, comme tous ses congénères, besoin de froid.