Walt Patterson On Energy

Nuclear power: Books

Going Critical




Even in the 1980s politicians usually made ritual obeisance to the 'outstanding achievements' of Britain's nuclear power establishment. Going Critical: An Unofficial History of British Nuclear Power is an attempt to set the record straight.

It is 'unofficial' only in that it contradicts the bizarrely inaccurate 'official' story that nuclear people retailed for popular consumption. Going Critical is based on all the relevant official records - Hansard, annual reports, Select Committee hearings - but the story it tells is an extraordinary true black comedy. Yet more extraordinary is that the black comedy of UK nuclear power policy did not end in 1985, when Going Critical appeared. It continues, in much the same way, to this day. Indeed, in 2013, it entered a whole new chapter of surrealistic perversity. Alas, I shall not be around to chronicle the denouement in 2048, when according to current plans UK electricity users will still be paying for Hinkley Point C.

You can find Going Critical here.



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