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French Greenpeace activists break into nuclear power plant French Greenpeace activists break into nuclear power plant
(about 13 hours later)
More than 20 Greenpeace activists climbed fences to break into an EDF nuclear power plant in southern France and demanded its closure, the environmental campaign group has said. About 30 Greenpeace activists were arrested on Monday after breaking into an EDF nuclear power plant in southern France, saying they wanted to expose security flaws and demanding its closure.
The activists, dressed in red, broke into the Tricastin plant at dusk on Sunday and unfurled a yellow and black banner on the wall with the words: "Tricastin, nuclear accident – president of the catastrophe?" above a picture of the president, François Hollande. The activists, dressed in red, said they reached the walls of two reactors at the Tricastin plant in the south-east of the country, one of France's oldest. EDF denied they had got into any sensitive areas and said production was not affected. France's interior minister, Manuel Valls, called for an investigation into the intrusion, which raised questions about the security of France's 19 nuclear plants and 58 reactors.
"With this action, Greenpeace is asking François Hollande to close the Tricastin plant, which is among the five most dangerous in France," Yannick Rousselet, in charge of nuclear issues for Greenpeace France, said in a statement. The protesters who entered the plant at dawn unfurled a yellow and black banner on a wall above a picture of President Francois Hollande, marked with the words: "Tricastin, nuclear accident – president of the catastrophe?"
A spokeswoman for EDF denied the activists had reached two of the plant's reactors and said that by 8.30am local time on Monday, 17 of them had been arrested for unauthorised access. Others clung on to metal structures and ladders, she said. "With this action, Greenpeace is asking François Hollande to close the Tricastin plant, which is among the five most dangerous in France," said Yannick Rousselet, in charge of nuclear issues for Greenpeace France.
The Tricastin plant, one of the most important sites in France, is spread over 650 hectares in picturesque south-east France. In July 2008, an accident at a treatment centre next to the plant saw liquid containing untreated uranium overflow out of a faulty tank during a draining operation. The same month around 100 staff at Tricastin's nuclear reactor number four were contaminated by radioactive particles that escaped from a pipe. EDF, which runs the site, described the contamination as "slight". "If being physically able to touch the reactors is not being in a sensitive place, I don't know what is," Rousselet told Reuters. "People with bad intentions could have posed a threat to the reactor's safety."
All 30 protesters were arrested after several hours spent rounding up activists clinging to metal structures and ladders, EDF said.
The Tricastin plant, one of the most important sites in France, is spread over 650 hectares. In July 2008 an accident at a treatment centre next to the plant saw liquid containing untreated uranium overflow out of a faulty tank during a draining operation. The same month around 100 staff at Tricastin's nuclear reactor number four were contaminated by radioactive particles that escaped from a pipe. EDF, which runs the site, described the contamination as "slight".
Hollande has pledged to cut the share of nuclear energy in the country's electricity mix to 50% from 75% by 2025. He also said he wanted to close the country's oldest plant at Fessenheim, near the German border, by 2017.Hollande has pledged to cut the share of nuclear energy in the country's electricity mix to 50% from 75% by 2025. He also said he wanted to close the country's oldest plant at Fessenheim, near the German border, by 2017.
Greenpeace said that to honour his promise, Hollande would have to close at least 10 reactors by 2017 and 20 by 2020. The campaign group said this ought to include Tricastin, which was built more than 30 years ago. Greenpeace said to honour his promise Hollande would have to close at least 10 reactors by 2017 and 20 by 2020. The campaign group said this should include Tricastin, built more than 30 years ago.