Nuclear convert

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33932, 27 August 1975, Page 2

Nuclear convert

(N Z Press Association) AUCKLAND, August 26. The former chairman of the Waitemata Electric Power Board, Mr F. Claxtdn, after visiting two nuclear-power stations in Britain, would be quite happy to see them built in New f Zealand.

I “I am convinced there is no danger from them.” he told fellow members of the board today.

Mr Claxton said he was formerly apprehensive about nuclear stations.

More were being built in Britain to preserve North Sea oil reserves and coal reserves. “This is something we should be thinking about, too,” he said.

He had begun to have second thoughts about nuclear-j power generation when he visited a 1000-megawatt station in Wales. It was almost | completely hidden from the! road by hills, topped by 30ft trees. “The hills were artificial, and the full-sized trees had been planted on them,” he said. “They seem to pay greater attention to the environment in Britain.” The cost of. generating;

electricity in Britain from nuclear stations was now about the same as from thermal stations, and as the J price of fossil fuels rose nuclear stations would become J the cheaper source. .' A 500-megawatt station he ■ visited had been running for 12 years, and the 1000-mega-watt station — the size of the thermal station being built at Huntly — for two years, but neither had had ; any nuclear-related probllems.

“Water being discharged from the 1000-megawatt station was only three degrees! warmer than the cooling! water going into it,” he said. “That cleared up one of the' misconceptions I had about nuclear stations.”

Checks were made continually for radiation leaks at the stations. Every person leaving had to go through a cubicle which tested for radiation — and so far in Britain no test had been positive.