Press Releases

Issued by PANiC Stations

Press Release

Launch Event - Monday 24th November

Alarming Development

The new local campaign group PANiC Stations protested at the entrance of the former Blyth Power station today to raise the alarm by declaring the proposed Ł2b new coal power site a “Climate Crime Scene”.

Sirens, whistles, horns and a violin raised the alarm of the “Climate Crime Scene” before the entrance to the proposed site was sealed informing the public that there is a “Climate Crime Scene” in the North East.

Residents, Environmental groups, church bodies and international development organisations have come together to form PANiC Stations (People Against New Coal Stations) to demand NO NEW COAL POWER.

The RWE npower proposed new coal power station is opposed because of concerns about the dangerous contribution to global warming, damage to the local environment and damage to the regeneration of the area.

Climate Change

RWE npower proposed development for Cambois near Blyth will be bigger than the highly controversial Kingsnorth Power Station in Kent, which has attracted international press coverage due to the impact it would have on the world climate. It is also massively larger than the old station that was demolished on this site in 2003.

Fiona (one of the campaign organisers) said “Global warming is the greatest issue we face. And burning coal is the single greatest threat to the climate. It's astonishing that there are plans to build climate wrecking coal fired power stations in the UK for the first time in over 30 years – including one right here at Blyth.”

Local environment

Residents are concerned that the proposed site is going to be closer to their homes than the former power station.

Resident Elsie Little said “Building a coal fired power station not only affects the health of the village but it also affects the poor in other countries through global warming”.

Jobs

There are some local residents who have welcomed the proposed power station because of job creation. However it is important to know that “Green New Deal” has been praised as a way of tackling the international financial crisis. Blyth has a world-beating centre for the development of renewable power technologies, a better use of the proposed site, and would create more jobs and economic benefit for the people in this area.

Local Resident Dorothy O’Connor said “Banks are proposing to build an eco-village as is the local council. This is what this area needs not something that would be detrimental”.

The future

The government has just committed the country to a dramatic reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. This is the first test of that resolve.

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Notes for journalists.

About PANiC Stations – website at www.panic-stns.co.uk

PANiC Stations is an umbrella group for those campaigns against a new Coal Fired Power Station at Blyth / Cambois.
We are opposed to a New Coal Fired Station at Blyth / Cambois being built without functional carbon capture and storage facilities on line as this would be completely incompatible to reducing our national carbon footprint and would contribute to further global warming.
We also oppose the power station because of the local effects on the environment and on the local communities, including foreseeable health effects from the operation of the power station.
We support the development of renewable power generation infrastructure at the site including the facilities for the construction of large offshore wind, wave and tidal power plant, micro-generation equipment and the extra jobs that this would create.
We provide a means for different groups to communicate and share information and support for these common aims.

About Coal Power Stations

Coal is by far the most CO2 polluting fuel even with the best technology presently available.
‘Clean Coal’ technology only refers to the reduction of some gases, specifically sulphur dioxide in the exhaust flue and does not reduce the amounts of ash.
Coal creates devastating dust and pollution for the local environment.
Fly ash contains many highly toxic substances some are radioactive.

Contact details for the press releases are available from press@panic-stns.co.uk

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