Difference between revisions of "Malcolm Grimston"

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===Letter to UK Government over slow 'strike price' negotiations with EDF Energy===
 
===Letter to UK Government over slow 'strike price' negotiations with EDF Energy===
  
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In April 2013 Grimston was one of 18 influential signatories to a letter in the ''[[Sunday Telegraph]]'' arguing that 'Nuclear energy brings significant public health and environmental benefits'.  It pushed the case that 'building a fleet of new nuclear power stations rather than one reactor at a time will lead to considerable economies of scale and lower costs for consumers. It will also provide the reliable, secure, low-carbon energy urgently needed in this country. However, we are becoming increasingly concerned at the apparent slow progress of negotiations between the Government and EDF Energy for Hinkley Point C, and we fear this aspiration could be undermined if a deal on the pioneer project is not resolved satisfactorily'.<ref>Sir David King et al [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/10006905/The-Government-should-not-delay-on-its-nuclear-power-plans.html The Government should not delay on its nuclear power plans;  Negotiations over Hinkley Point C are going too slowly] ''telegraph.co.uk'' April 21, 2013 Sunday 6:59 AM GMT </ref> Grimston's name appeared alongside prominent scientific advocates of nuclear power including [[David King]] the former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government,  Dame [[Sue Ion]], Independent Consultant, Professor [[Simon Biggs]] FREng Professor of Particle Science & Engineering University of Leeds, Professor [[Jon Billowes]], Professor of Nuclear Physics at The [[University of Manchester]], Professor [[Colin Boxall]] The Lloyd's Register Foundation Chair in Nuclear Engineering and Decommissioning [[Lancaster University]] and [[David Cope]] of [[Cambridge University]].
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In April 2013 Grimston was one of 18 influential signatories to an [[Nuclear academics open letter to Sunday Telegraph April 2013|open letter to the editor of the ''Sunday Telegraph'']] arguing that 'Nuclear energy brings significant public health and environmental benefits'.  It pushed the case that 'building a fleet of new nuclear power stations rather than one reactor at a time will lead to considerable economies of scale and lower costs for consumers. It will also provide the reliable, secure, low-carbon energy urgently needed in this country. However, we are becoming increasingly concerned at the apparent slow progress of negotiations between the Government and EDF Energy for Hinkley Point C, and we fear this aspiration could be undermined if a deal on the pioneer project is not resolved satisfactorily'.<ref>Sir David King et al [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/10006905/The-Government-should-not-delay-on-its-nuclear-power-plans.html The Government should not delay on its nuclear power plans;  Negotiations over Hinkley Point C are going too slowly] ''telegraph.co.uk'' April 21, 2013 Sunday 6:59 AM GMT </ref> Grimston's name appeared alongside prominent scientific advocates of nuclear power including [[David King]] the former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government,  Dame [[Sue Ion]], Independent Consultant, Professor [[Simon Biggs]] FREng Professor of Particle Science & Engineering University of Leeds, Professor [[Jon Billowes]], Professor of Nuclear Physics at The [[University of Manchester]], Professor [[Colin Boxall]] The Lloyd's Register Foundation Chair in Nuclear Engineering and Decommissioning [[Lancaster University]] and [[David Cope]] of [[Cambridge University]].
  
 
==='Winning hearts and minds' post-Fukushima===
 
==='Winning hearts and minds' post-Fukushima===

Latest revision as of 11:51, 30 October 2013

Dr Malcolm Grimston is an academic and nuclear expert.

He is associate fellow in the Energy, Environment and Development Programme at The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, UK. [1]

Grimston was previously Honorary Senior Research Fellow at ICEPT Imperial College.

Background

According to a biographical note:

Mr Malcolm C Grimston graduated from the University of Cambridge. He taught chemistry from 1980 to 1987, and in 1987 was appointed Director of the Talks Service at the UK Atomic Energy Authority. In 1992 he joined the British Nuclear Industry Forum as Energy Issues Adviser. In 1995 Malcolm Grimston took up an appointment at Imperial College, London, as a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Environmental Technology, researching energy policy issues. In 1999 he was appointed a Senior Research Fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, London, conducting an investigation into the future of civil nuclear energy. He is currently an Associate Fellow at Chatham House, and the author of numerous articles for journals etc.[2]

Pro-nuclear activities

Letter to UK Government over slow 'strike price' negotiations with EDF Energy

In April 2013 Grimston was one of 18 influential signatories to an open letter to the editor of the Sunday Telegraph arguing that 'Nuclear energy brings significant public health and environmental benefits'. It pushed the case that 'building a fleet of new nuclear power stations rather than one reactor at a time will lead to considerable economies of scale and lower costs for consumers. It will also provide the reliable, secure, low-carbon energy urgently needed in this country. However, we are becoming increasingly concerned at the apparent slow progress of negotiations between the Government and EDF Energy for Hinkley Point C, and we fear this aspiration could be undermined if a deal on the pioneer project is not resolved satisfactorily'.[3] Grimston's name appeared alongside prominent scientific advocates of nuclear power including David King the former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government, Dame Sue Ion, Independent Consultant, Professor Simon Biggs FREng Professor of Particle Science & Engineering University of Leeds, Professor Jon Billowes, Professor of Nuclear Physics at The University of Manchester, Professor Colin Boxall The Lloyd's Register Foundation Chair in Nuclear Engineering and Decommissioning Lancaster University and David Cope of Cambridge University.

'Winning hearts and minds' post-Fukushima

Grimston has reportedly spoken about the nuclear industry's need for 'winning hearts and minds' saying that its PR has been 'too defensive and reactive'following the Fukushima disaster.

“The industry’s obsession with communicating its safety message is in danger of arousing, not allaying, public concern,” he said. “It’s a bit like an airline running an ad that says ‘If you fly on one of our aircraft, there’s a very good chance the wings won’t fall off – and if they do, we provide you with a lifejacket’.”

Heavyweight former BNFL nuclear lobbyist Philip Dewhurst believes that Grimston 'had a point'. [4]

Recent publications and articles

Contact

Telephone: +44 20 8767 0928 Fax: +44 20 7867 0928

Notes

  1. ↑ Malcolm Grimston Associate Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources, Chatham House website, accessed 8 October 2013
  2. ↑ Malcolm Grimston, The World Nuclear Association 2004
  3. ↑ Sir David King et al The Government should not delay on its nuclear power plans; Negotiations over Hinkley Point C are going too slowly telegraph.co.uk April 21, 2013 Sunday 6:59 AM GMT
  4. ↑ As mentioned in Nuclear Setbacks Demand Stronger Communication, Article posted on College Group website, dated 'two years ago', first appeared in IPRA Frontline, acc 30 October 2013
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