The CEGB Are Full Of Praise For The Decision To Go Ahead With Building Sizewell B

Interview with John Baker of the Central Electricity Generating Board.

John Baker, Managing Director of the UK Central Electricity Generating Board, answers questions from Anglia TV reporter Surrey Beddows following the outcome of the Sizewell B public inquiry and the decision to go ahead with the project. Concerning energy costs, he says that Sir Frank Layfield looked at predictions for oil and coal and concluded that nuclear energy from Sizewell would be the best buy for consumers. The reporter asks about the argument by opponents that the Sizewell report was outdated on safety issues alone following the Chernobyl disaster. John Baker responds with three points: first, that Russia blamed Chernobyl on design failures and there is no reactor in the western world of the that design. Second, that Russia is turning to pressurised water reactors of the type intended at Sizewell. His third point is that Sir Frank Layfield considered the possibility of big accidents and how often they might happen. His conclusion was that accidents that might happen frequently were not likely to cause harm in the locality, and the possibility of a big accident with major loss of life was extremely remote. This short video was made to be shown in a news story on Anglia Television early evening news / magazine programme About Anglia.

Keywords

Nuclear power stations; Power stations; Sizewell; Sizewell B; Nuclear accidents; Chernobyl; Energy costs

Additional Description

The public inquiry into the proposal by the Central Electricity Generating Board to construct a Pressurised Water Reactor nuclear power station at Sizewell, Suffolk was conducted by Sir Frank Layfield QC between January 1983 and March 1985. The report of the inquiry was published on 26 January 1987. The Chernobyl nuclear accident began on 26 April 1986.