University gets £5m donation for nuclear research
Posted on: September 17th, 2008 by George Robinson
Manchester University has been given £5 million in donation to carry out research to make nuclear power generation more safe and efficient.
The money will go towards training of new nuclear plants workers, purchase of new equipment and creation of more research posts.
UK government has already approved construction of ten new nuclear power plants by 2020. The approval is based on apprehensions about future supply oil and gas, their high cost and effect on environment. As per EU agreement, all coal and oil based power generation is to be decommissioned by 2020. The renewable energy generation is not likely to meet the complete demand by then.
British Nuclear Fuels’ donation to Manchester University has evoked the predictable reaction from environmental campaigners. They say that more thrust should be given to research in renewable energy production than nuclear.
John Dalton Institute of Manchester University is a leading nuclear research centre of the country. The generous donation is hoped to bring new advances in safety and efficiency of nuclear power generation.
The news of donation came as the university launched an investigation into death of its two lecturers. Both used to work close to the room which Nobel Prize winning nuclear scientist Ernest Rutherford used for researching dangerous radioactive materials.
Manchester University’s president, Alan Gilbert welcomed the donation and said that it will strengthen university’s position in the nuclear field. The university has more than 100 years of work done in nuclear research, starting from Ernest Rutherford up to the present day.
