Extraction of coal, oil and gas bring high costs in human lives and environmental damage. Whether we like it or not Thornbury folk have a part in causing that damage so long as they drive cars fuelled by petrol or diesel, heat their homes with oil or gas, use washing machines and tumble driers, buy goods manufactured in China … the list is extensive.
What if we consider our total energy consumption? Once we have taken into account the contribution that the power station at Oldbury has been making, how much of the inconvenience falls on other communities?
Oldbury Nuclear Power Station is closing after 43 years of safe operation during which it generated 130 TWh of electricity (source), equivalent to about 700,000 toe per year. Assuming that average annual individual consumption of energy in all forms throughout this period was 3 toe, means that the total energy needs for around 230,000 people were supplied by the station, roughly the population of South Gloucestershire (currently estimated at about 265,000).
Others may have suffered the inconveniences of mining coal, extracting oil and gas, etc. but the people of Thornbury can rest easy at night knowing that over the last 40 years they have taken their full share of the inconveniences associated with producing all the energy that they have consumed. And doubly so because nuclear generation avoids fossil fuel burning, lessening production of CO2 and easing the pace of global warming.
As Oldbury shuts down, Thornbury loses a good neighbour which has provided employment, boosted the local economy and been a generous benefactor to many local good causes. And for the next 40 years will the people of South Gloucestershire be reliant on others to suffer all the inconveniences created by the energy they consume?
Thornbury is an affluent community so perhaps we could pay others to take all the inconveniences while we enjoy all the benefits. Or perhaps there is a slightly different way to view financial compensation for inconvenience?
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