BRARE - Bradwell for Renewable Energy

A brief History of BRARE

1987

Colchester CND formed the Shut Down Bradwell Campaign in response to fears about the safety of the ageing nuclear plant at Bradwell, on the Essex coast.

2001

Colchester CND disbanded. The Shut Down Bradwell Campaign became an independent group. Bradwell subsequently closed and so BRARE - Bradwell for Renewable Energy - was formed. No more new nuclear power stations to be built in Bradwell or anywhere else, aiming to provide encouragement of renewable energy resources and encouragement of energy conservation.

2002

Local green groups joined Greenpeace in garnering support for an offshore wind farm at Gunfleet, and for developing the facilities at the Bradwell site for transmission of wind generation. Gunfleet is now being assembled. Membership of BRARE became county wide.

2003 - 2005

Heavily involved in the Magnox Decommissioning Dialogue. Consultant on the formation of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority,and the Committee for Radioactive Waste Management in deliberations on what to do with all the historic waste.

Was an active member of the BNFL National Dialogue, which was looking at the thorny question of Sellafield and Dounreay waste, together with ramifications such as the transport of nuclear waste. Contributed to the Safegrounds Dialogue, on the management of contaminated land. Sent off a contribution to the Government Energy Review, and to the Health and Safety Exectutive's Environmental Impact Assessment on the Decommissioning of Bradwell.

The formation of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has completely changed the landscape. Magnox Electric is now a contractor rather than sole supplier. To our great joy the NDA has decided on a time frame of 25 years in which to decommission the Magnox reactors. The Local Community Liaison Committees have been re-vamped, and will no longer just be talking shops, but will have to make decisions on what site end-points will be.
They have to have a broader reach, and must include environmental groups. BRARE has applied and has had its application turned down. We will continue our efforts to take part.

Bradwell Wind Farm - BRARE has supported Npower renewables in its new application for 10 turbines on the coast not far from the station. (See "Actions" for how to support this)