On Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:52:07 +0100, Java Jive wrote:

After all, it was primarily built as a source of weapons-grade plutonium,
not to supply electricity, which was just a public cover story,
and the programme stated that it was sometimes drawing power from the
grid rather than supplying power to it!

Excellent points to keep in mind, and presumably the government thought
that it was in the best interests of the citizens of the UKofGB&NI to
produce plutonium rather than electric power.

It would seem that the French do thing differently though, as France
produces 77% of its electricity by nuclear power, and thus they are
not held hostage to coal, gas, and oil supplies in the same way as
UKofGB&NI electric power generators.