MP Steffan Aquarone says scrap Norfolk nuclear power plans

North Norfolk's MP, Steffan Aquarone, has called for plans for a nuclear plant at Bacton to be scrapped, claiming the technology is "slow and risky" for an already vulnerable coastline.

Instead, he is calling for more offshore wind farms and to turn Bacton Gas Terminal into a hydrogen gas and carbon capture hub.

Viaro Energy, which bought Bacton Gas Terminal from Shell earlier this year, has revealed that the site is one of its target locations for a new generation of small-scale power plants, which it hopes to roll-out across the UK.

READ MORE: Norfolk going nuclear? Plans revealed for new power plant in village

What an IMSR plant in Norfolk could look like (Image: Terrestrial Energy) Mr Aquarone said: “It goes against the grain of where we’re going in north Norfolk with energy, which is that we’ve opened ourselves up to be real conduits for offshore wind and for renewables.

“Nuclear is not a renewable option. My view is that the future for Bacton is around hydrogen.

“I don’t think it’s a choice between oil and gas or nuclear – Bacton’s future lies in hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.”

North Norfolk MP Steffan Aquarone (Image: Steffan Aquarone) Ministers have said proposals to transform Bacton Gas Terminal into a £1.3bn hydrogen gas and carbon capture hub are still “very much part” of the government’s plans.

The hydrogen hub would produce and distribute blue hydrogen, which is produced using natural gas from the North Sea for use as a fuel and to generate electricity.

Mr Aquarone also wants carbon capture at the site - a technology for storing harmful CO2 emissions.

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Bacton Gas Terminal in north Norfolk (Image: Mike Page) In 2022, Graham Plant, the then deputy leader of Norfolk County Council, said that small-scale nuclear reactors would “solve Norfolk’s energy problem".

But Mr Aquarone disagrees.

“Nuclear is a very slow and expensive way of meeting our energy needs,” he said.

“Even since Graham ‘nuclear’ Plant in 2022 talked about welcoming nuclear reactors to Norfolk we’ve seen significant advances in the productivity and efficiency of wind generation.

“That has become what this part of the world is doing to contribute towards our energy requirements and reaching net zero.

“I don’t know why we need a slow, risky, technology on a vulnerable part of our coastline.”