Antinuclear

Greenpeace activists infiltrate French nuclear plant

Greenpeace said the incidents proved the sites aren’t safe. “With this nonviolent action, Greenpeace shows that French nuclear installations are vulnerable,” Greenpeace France activist Sophia Majnoni d’Intignano said. “It’s the patent proof that existing security systems aren’t sufficient.”…..
The opposition Green party, which wants France to completely exit nuclear power, said the incident proved again that nuclear energy was inherently unsafe.

Activists Enter French Nuclear Facilities WSJ, By GÉRALDINE AMIEL And INTI LANDAURO, 5 Dec 11   PARIS—French police on Monday arrested eleven activists with environmental group Greenpeace who broke into two French nuclear-power plants in an attempt to raise questions about reactor security.

Nine people broke into the compound of the Nogent-sur-Seine nuclear plant, south of Paris, at about 6 a.m. on Monday. Two of the protesters climbed onto the roof of one the two reactors before they were apprehended by police, said the plant’s owner, state-controlled power behemoth Électricité de France SA. All nine were arrested.

Late Monday, the police arrested two men who had hidden all day at EDF’s Cruas plant, in southern France, EDF said.

The incidents come as nuclear energy is becoming a central issue in the 2012 French presidential campaign, in a country that has been debating energy safety since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in March. President Nicolas Sarkozy has rejected any need for France to reduce its dependence on nuclear energy, which accounts for about 75% of the nation’s electricity. But Socialist candidate François Hollande has endorsed a plan to reduce France’s dependence to 50% by 2025.

French government officials pledged an immediate investigation of the incidents and said they would redouble security efforts.
Greenpeace said the incidents proved the sites aren’t safe. “With this nonviolent action, Greenpeace shows that French nuclear installations are vulnerable,” Greenpeace France activist Sophia Majnoni d’Intignano said. “It’s the patent proof that existing security systems aren’t sufficient.”…..
The opposition Green party, which wants France to completely exit nuclear power, said the incident proved again that nuclear energy was inherently unsafe.

“The human and terror risks must at least be taken seriously by the nuclear authority and the government. Safe nuclear [energy] doesn’t exist in Nogent, nor did it in Chernobyl and Fukushima,” Green party secretary-general Cécile Duflot said.

EDF already is facing looming costs to increase safety at its 58 reactors, while building a 59th facility in the north of the country for €6 billion ($8 billion)—a much-delayed safety- and security-enhanced third-generation reactor that is some €1 billion over costs. EDF hasn’t provided precise figures, but the extra safety expenses will add to those needed to finance the extension of the lifespans of some of its reactors, a cost that experts estimate at around €600 million to €650 million per 900-megawatt reactor…..
The opposition Green and Socialist parties agreed in a common program to cut the share of nuclear in France’s energy from 80% to 50% by 2025, which will mean shutting down 24 reactors, while boosting renewable generation capacities….http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204770404577079502371691444.html

December 6, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized