Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Innocuous though they may seem, land-based wind turbines have become one of the most contentious and divis-
ive issues in rural Wales. Nobody disputes the need for sustainable energy and few object to community-based
schemes that bring much-needed income to small towns and villages. However, the huge visual impact of com-
mercial schemes and their irregular output has brought both locals and campaigners out in droves. It's an emotive
issue, pitting one environmental campaign group against another. Although the focus has turned to offshore wind
farms and tidal power as viable alternatives, the battle continues with every new planning application.
More recently, controversy has surrounded the proposal to build a new nuclear power plant on Anglesey by
2020. The existing nuclear plant, Wylfa, will cease generation in 2014, but Wylfa 'B' could become one of the
first of the new generation of nuclear power stations planned across the UK. The island's council estimates that
the development could bring £8 billion into the local economy but local people are fiercely opposed.
