Nuclear Industry: Cumbria

Lizzi Collinge Excerpts

Monday 14th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Josh MacAlister (Whitehaven and Workington) (Lab)]

In just three days’ time, we will mark the 68th anniversary of the opening of Calder Hall, the world’s first commercial civil nuclear power station, in my constituency. At 12.16 pm on 17 October 1956, Queen Elizabeth II pulled the lever directing electricity from the power station into the national grid, and Workington, 15 miles up the coast and also in my constituency, became the first town in the world to receive light, heat and power from nuclear energy. Speaking that day, Her Majesty the Queen said:

“This new power, which has proved itself to be such a terrifying weapon of destruction, is harnessed for the first time for the common good of our community.”

And it was good for my community.

[Lizzi Collinge (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Lab)]

We have two nuclear power stations at Heysham, and I am campaigning for new nuclear at the same site. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to recapture the spirit of the early days of civil nuclear and move at pace to deliver new nuclear for the new generation?

[Josh MacAlister]

I thank my hon. Friend for the intervention, and given that my entire speech is dedicated to that very point, I will gladly agree with her. West Cumbrians are incredibly proud of the part we played in the first clean energy revolution. We need only speak to some of those who worked at the power plant during its 47 years in operation to hear the pride in their voices.

After Calder Hall came another 10 nuclear power plants in 10 years—we opened 10 in 10 years.