Only one has been ‘started’ and yes it was previewed to start producing in 2012 I think, latest update some time in 2023. Lots of problems with the qualité of the materials, including the concrete poured as the base (controls just weren’t good enough). Then the metal used for the reactor. However if they aren’t completely incompetent these things should be sorted, then again if put out (like Flammandville was) to private tender who knows?
Not managing to control the concrete being poured seems the worst, that type of thing is your domaine isn’t it? (apparently a section of it started fissuring which imo is real incompetence).
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Difficult to say to be honest. It looks messy from the outside given part government ownership in Areva (reactor designer and supplier) along with what appears to be some on site quality issues as well. I could only assume that the steel had been specified to a certain level and various certification would have been required during the manufacturing process. Whether the specification wasn’t thorough enough or checks not appropriate or completed is difficult to say. It may even be some small fault in manufacturing that simply wasn’t picked up.
I’ve seen similar once before, having erected some pretty big steel beams for a new bridge. We were in the process of erecting the falsework to construct the deck when we noticed the odd bolt in the splice plates breaking and falling out. The bolts were specified correctly and had passed supplier quality checks but after some lab analysis the steel used had some issues that made it brittle. We ended up changing the whole lot. Same project we also had issues with the road surfacing material. Again it was within spec, but the there was an issue with the binder in the asphalt that caused it to disintegrate. That was found to be an issue with the supplier and Client having specified a very particular type of asphalt.
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“We’re even levelling up the opposition front bench.”
Nice line 
Listened to the Budget on the radio. Sunak smashed it. Will like to see the detail but so many improvements to the tax system across so many areas that we couldn’t have done before whilst in the EU. Also, much needed reduction to the tapering of Universal Credit together with the widely reported rise to the National Living Wage.
Incidentally, I think Starmer having to isolate does Labour a favour here. I think Rachel Reeves is extremely competent. Probably, for me, the best Labour has had in the position of Shadow Chancellor since 2010.
She got in a couple of good swipes back at Sunak before I had to get out of the car.
No way I’d trust Boris with a spirit level
I need to look into this more but all opposition parties seem to be in agreement on changes to the tapering but the overall changes to UC mean they’ve taken £4bn out and only put £2bn back in. Is that fair?
I pretty much missed all of it as I was in meetings all afternoon.
I don’t think it is. Where do you get the £4bn from?
Don’t worry; they’ll still be able to find another £37bn to give their mates for doing fuck all.
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Seems reasonable to me. 
Just a quote I heard yesterday. I concede its 100% not fact checked etc. More trying to make the point that they’ve cut the lowest in society again and then fudged it by giving a little back under some very loud and bright headlines.
On another point how is cutting duty on domestic flights helping the environment a week before COP 26? They are clearly are not serious about environmental issues at all.
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It’s more than balanced out by raising duty on long haul flights among other things. Cutting on internal flights is about helping the domestic economy so almost certain to be short-term.
Yes but I understand CO2 emissions are far higher for shorter flights. Take offs and climbing I presume. We honestly need to get out of this economy over environment shit. Right before COP26 and it basically says what everyone already knows. Boris is full of noise. This is also after cutting aid budget. Why would countries with developing economies actually take this seriously when we are clearly not?
UK overseas aid budget still the 2nd highest in the G20 and budget confirmed would go back to 0.7% in 2023, I think.
You’re right that emissions per mile are higher the shorter the flight is but obviously the further you fly the greater the total emissions.
But domestic flights are just unnecessary. There absolute no justification for taking a flight within the UK.
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Beat me to it. Some Scottish islands maybe?
London / Edinburgh seems daft even though I knew one guy that did it regularly.
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Train is four and a half hours?
Surely all the faff of flying, plus travelling to/from the airports adds up to that…
I guess he’d be landing at City, but still.
Tell that to United 
Seriously though, I do agree with you on the whole. However I think you underestimate the scale of the domestic aviation industry and the boost this will give to a sector that was one of the worst hit by the pandemic.
It will also aid the UK hospitality and leisure industry, help retain jobs, and many flights within the UK are justifiable.
This was years ago, late 90’s and we were working in Newbury. Memory is vague on it but it might have been Luton, maybe Heathrow. He’d do it for a long weekend once a month and maybe the odd time in between. Cant say if there was a train available that was that quick back then, and if you’re not in London Trains can still be a pain in the posterior. It used to take me over 8 hours from Reading to home in North Wales by train, and I was truly banzaied at the end of it.
Either way, today, I dont really see the need for most domestic flights. If that side of the industry needs to be “let go” then so be it. We cant f*** about anymore. I’m glad United have stepped up to keep us entertained though. Fair play to them.
Worth noting that the UK governments record on delivering on pledges hasn’t been great either. Anyone remember how many social houses they’ve built? For me a Conservative Government will not deliver on climate issues. It goes completely against the grain for them.
Any examples?