HC Deb 11 June 1991 vol 192 c482W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to commission a study of the effects of carbon dioxide releases to the atmosphere from sea water boiled off in the cooling of nuclear plants; and what information he presently possesses on the levels of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere as a result of the nuclear fuel cycle from uranium mining to waste disposal.

Mr. Baldry

No. The amount of carbon dioxide released from sea water used for cooling power stations is negligible in global terms.

I understand that the nuclear industry and environmental analysts are in agreement that the nuclear power fuel cycle is responsible for about 4 per cent. of the carbon dioxide released from conventional coal-fired plant for an equivalent amount of delivered energy.