In the Shadow of Power

There are 16 nuclear power stations in Britain, and they generate about 18% of the country's electricity. While other countries move towards a non-nuclear future, Britain is planning to expand its facilities by building 10 new-generation nuclear power plants. It is estimated that to decommission all of these power plants would take about 50 years and cost at least £70 billion.

Although nuclear power is considered to be a relatively clean energy source compared to other non-renewable sources such as coal, the consequences of accidents and radiation leaking into the surrounding environment can be devastating and the effects can cause damage lasting for centuries. The effect of radiation is not usually immediately apparent: it can take years for the full repercussions of a nuclear accident to be known.

The striking similarity between all 16 of the nuclear power stations in the UK is the lack of development around the plants; the landscapes surrounding them are relatively untouched and beautiful. Because of this, many of the areas around nuclear power plants are now nature reserves.

This stark contrast between these power plants and their surrounding environments, and the invisible nature of radiation, inspired the photographs I took for this project. The images never directly look at the power stations themselves. Instead, they focus on the surreal nature of the environments around them. Often these landscapes feel lifeless and abandoned but with an erie beauty. It is this feeling that the photographs capture, the feeling of the ever-present potential threat that throws a shadow over the peaceful landscapes that surround nuclear power in Britain.