Horizon Nuclear Power issued an open letter last week to former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who was in Anglesey, Wales, to discuss nuclear power generation.
In the letter, Alan Raymant, Horizon’s chief operating officer, applauded the strong safety record of the global nuclear industry, the crucial part nuclear power has played in Anglesey’s success and the sturdy security measures currently being implemented to protect plants against unintended threats . In addition, Raymant highlighted the overall key role that Horizon sees for meeting future global energy demands.
“A repeat on Anglesey of the natural conditions that led to the Fukushima accident is not a credible possibility due to the absence of major seismic or tsunami risk,” Raymant said. “ But we, and the UK regulators, are taking valuable lessons from that event to enhance safety even further.”
Horizon Nuclear Power was formed in 2009 to develop new nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom. It was acquired by Hitachi Ltd. of Japan in November 2012. The company plans to build at least 5,400MW of new nuclear power generation plant at Wylfa on the Isle of Anglesey and Oldbury-on-Severn in South Gloucestershire.
“We are privileged to enjoy support from governments and elected representatives in Anglesey and in Wales more widely, from the local community and from the future workforce,” Raymant said. “But we are in no doubt that this support relies on clearly demonstrating that safety and security are at the core of what we do. We will not flinch from honest debate about nuclear power, but we remain determined to deliver Wylfa Newydd safely and to the benefit of the community.”
