Andreas' website

Kyodo - Wed, 16 May 2012

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and Tokyo Electric Power Co. were aware at least by 2006 that the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant was at risk of having its power knocked out by massive tsunami, NISA officials said Tuesday.

Full story: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120516a5.html

Nature News Blog

09 May 2012 | 16:40 BST | Posted by Geoffrey Brumfiel

It was as inevitable as cherry blossoms blooming in springtime: sooner or later, Japan had to nationalize the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the owner of the ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Today the government announced a ¥1 trillion (US$12.5 billion) plan to bail out the country’s largest utility, and at least temporarily take control.

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Despite the Japanese PM's optimistic assessment of Fukushima, experts have new worries about the plant's recovery

Richard Schiffman guardian.co.uk, Monday 7 May 2012 22.16 BST

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On Friday 11 May, Stop Hinkley, Kick Nuclear and friends held a two dozen-strong demo outside the AGM of Centrica (owner of British Gas) at the QE2 Centre in Westminster.

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Via AlterNet - By Brad Jacobson
  Experts say acknowledging the threat would call into question the safety of dozens of identically designed nuclear power plants in the U.S. May 4, 2012  |  

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Via Bellona - Vladimir Slivyak, 06/05-2012 - Translated by Maria Kaminskaya:

MOSCOW - More than a year since the catastrophic nuclear and radiation disaster at Japan’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, concerns loom ever larger over the site as experts warn with increasing worry of the unstable condition of the cooling pond at Unit 4, where spent nuclear fuel holds ten times the amount of radioactive cesium that was blown into the atmosphere with the 1986 reactor explosion at Chernobyl. Russia would be well served to join their call for action – will it?

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Credit: Bristol Stop Hinkley C / Bristol Indymedia

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Credit: K. Tatum / Stop Nuclear Power Network

Kick Nuclear and friends, dressed up as Nuclear Grim Reapers and Liquidators, joined hundreds of environmental and social justice activists at The Big Six Energy Bash in central London, targeting EDF and the other energy fat cat corporations at the UK Energy Summit.

Photos:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.355821057800362.73707.127691757...
https://picasaweb.google.com/vd2012.pics/TheBigSixEnergyBash

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Hello everyone,
Just a quick run down of coming events and an update on whats happening at the nuclear sites.

First the good news:
Plans for a third nuclear power station at Heysham in Lancashire have been put on ice. French company EDF Energy has cancelled an agreement with the National Grid to set up any new connection to the grid from Heysham.

RWE npower and Eon have pulled out of Horizon, the company formed to work on proposals for new nuclear power stations at Wylfa on the Isle of Anglesey and at Oldbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire.
In a statement, RWE npower said that the effect of Germany's accelerated phase out of nuclear power had had a knock-on effect on the company. In addition, the global economic crisis had made capital for major projects such as new nuclear harder to come by. Nuclear power projects are particularly large scale, with very long lead times and payback periods, it said. The company is now seeking alternative investors.

However, EDF Energy said all its plans for new stations will be focused on their sites at Sizewell and Hinkley Point. These are at the most advanced stage in the planning and development process.

IPC
As of April 1st, the Infrastructure planning commission has changed its spots to become the National Infrastructure Directorate. They are responsible for making the planning decisions on development at each of the new build sites. However, all the same people are in the same roles, particularly the ridiculously offensive panel leader Andrew M Phillipson. They are currently offering us the opportunity to have our faith in democracy crushed at a series of heavily controlled open floor hearings in May. If you are an interested party and you wish to attend you need to let them know by May 4th.
NID letter

The Big Six Energy Bash May 3rd
The Climate Justice Collective is calling a mass action in London against the UK Energy summit, where representatives of EDF, Eon, Centrica/British Gas, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE will be meeting to discuss how to maintain their control of our energy supply, profiteering from fuel poverty, climate change and trashing the planet. An anti-nuclear block is being organised. www.climatejusticecollective.org

Hinkley Point C?
The land trash at Hinkley Point is now under way. Many of the trees and hedges have been cut down and fences have been erected around much of the site. The bank holiday weekend of the 5th, 6th May & 7th of May is a last chance to use the public rights of way before the footpaths are closed on the 8th. Why not make a day of it? Come and have a picnic and play some games.

Centrica AGM May 11th
Executives at Centrica, (British Gas to you and I ) which is planning to build a new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset in a joint venture with EDF Energy, have warned Whitehall officials that the plan hangs by a thread and could be scrapped if the company does not receive assurances about the future price of nuclear-generated electricity.
This year's 2012 Centrica Annual General Meeting will be held at 2.00pm on 11 May 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London SW1. We intend to have a presence outside to encourage shareholders to withdraw their support for the company's investment in costly and high risk nuclear power. If Centrica pulled out of their 20% share it would have a significant impact on the project's viability.
If you are unable to attend, feel free to contact them and let them know how you feel: Tel: +44 (0)1753 494000 Fax: +44 (0)1753 494001

Donate
Our campaign will need to continue, until EDF and the UK government abandon all plans for new nuclear in Britain. If you have an idea for an effective protest or action and would like to get involved in organising, do get in touch.
We still need your financial support. Please give generously. You can donate online at http://stopnewnuclear.org.uk/donate, or you can send a cheque made payable to Stop New Nuclear to:

Stop New Nuclear
c/o 5 Caledonian Road
London N1 9DX

Thank you!
Stop New Nuclear

Stop New Nuclear newsletter

Original report, plus pics: http://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/remembering-chernobyl-gi...

Posted on April 25, 2012 by mariannewildart

Today in Kendal anti-nuclear groups, Cumbria and Lancashire area CND and Radiation Free Lakeland remembered the Chernobyl disaster.

People in Kendal were keen to sign a giant postcard to the Lake District National Park Authority who have given the thumbs up to a giant nuclear dump or two under Cumbria and in just one and half hours 90 people wrote to the National Park saying:

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Up n' Atom! (Credit: D. Viesnik / Stop Nuclear Power Network)

Original report and photos:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2012/04/495400.html

More photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/vd2012.pics/SizewellCamp2012PtI

http://picasaweb.google.com/vd2012.pics/SizewellCamp2012PtII

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.347574375291697.72313.127691757...

Emma's report:

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Dear all,

this is only a brief and quick newsletter to say "Thank you!" to everyone who came to Hinkley last weekend, and helped to make our action a huge success. On Saturday, more than 1,000 protesters joined our commemoration of Fukushima, and demanded an end to plans for new nuclear power stations in Britain (and elsewhere). About 100 stayed on for the first ever 24 hour blockade of a nuclear power station in Britain. We all did it!

The action was clearly the biggest anti nuclear power demonstration for decades, although not since the mass protest against the construction of the Torness nuclear power station in 1979, but only since July 1980, when the Cornwall Anti Nuclear alliance mustered 2,000 people for its protest against proposed nuclear power stations in Cornwall.

Media coverage

We are trying to put media coverage of the event together on our website, at http://stopnewnuclear.org.uk/inthepress. Please send us links if you find anything that's so far missing on our website.

BBC Point West's report is also available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDF1iO69E7M&feature=youtu.be.

Already the night before the demonstration, we had our Camilla Berens discuss nuclear power on BBC newsnight with George Monbiot and Malcolm Grimston - two supporters of nuclear energy. Grimston was Information Officer of the UK Atomic Energy Authority from 1987-1992 and Information Adviser of the British Nuclear Industry Forum from 1992-1995. Although Camilla was on her own against two persons supporting new nuclear, we think she stood her ground and got the anti nuclear message across at prime time.

Other actions

A report on the action of People Against Wylfa B (PAWB) on Sunday, 11 March, can be read in the North Wales Chronicle at http://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/111032/anti-nuclear-campaigners-remember-fukushima-at-menai-bridge-event.aspx.
A report on Radiation Free Lakelands Scafell Walk is available on their website at http://mariannewildart.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/scafell-walk/.

A range of videos from all over the world are available at http://www.youtube.com/FukushimaActionDay.

Sizewell Camp, 20-22 April 2012

Spend a sunny weekend camping on the beach at Sizewell and learning about the plans for the new power station. Come and show your opposition to nuclear power and your support for sustainable energy solutions. The weekend includes a protest at the nuclear power station entrance, workshops and skill shares, woodland and beach walks, vegan food and networking. Now is the time to take action against new build – come join us to say ‘Nuclear power – No thanks!’
More information at http://stopnuclearpoweruk.net/content/sizewell-camp-2012.

Donate

We are all still recovering from the successful action last weekend, but the struggle is far from over. We will soon plan the next steps - our campaign will need to continue, until EDF, Horizon, and the UK government abandon all plans for new nuclear in Britain. Therefore, we still need your financial support. Please give generously. You can donate online at http://stopnewnuclear.org.uk/donate, or you can send a cheque made payable to Stop New Nuclear to:

Stop New Nuclear
c/o 5 Caledonian Road
London N1 9DX

Thank you!
Stop New Nuclear

Stop New Nuclear newsletter

Sunday marked the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster caused by an earthquake and tsunami that swept across Japan killing 20,000 people.

At the weekend two survivors of the disaster, Makoto Ishiyama and his wife Akiko Ishiyama, shared their experience of the disaster with protesters at the site of a potential new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

It is seen as the new front line in the fight against nuclear power in Britain, with numerous protests and legal challenges having targeted the proposed "Hinkley Point C" plant.

Mr and Mrs Ishiyama (pictured) said that despite having to leave their home and friends they were neither for nor against nuclear power but wanted to warn people of the risks.

"One year ago we used to live in Fukushima city, about 40 miles away from the nuclear plant," Mr Ishiyama said.

"On March 12 and 14 there were explosions at the nuclear plant but at the time the government didn't mention what sort of effect we would get.

"At the beginning the government said it was safe for people, but one of my friends worked at the Tokyo electric company and he suggested maybe we would be affected physically by the radiation so it was better to evacuate and not to eat some local produce, so since then we've stopped eating some food and drink produced in that area."

He added: "The government say it is now safe and they want local people to come back, but it's a total lie. There is still a risk, it's not safe and it is not over."

Around a thousand people protested on Saturday against the development of the new power station. A second protest today attracted a further 100 people.

Among those at the demonstration were Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament general secretary Kate Hudson and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP.

Ms Hudson said: "We're very pleased with the turnout.

"There's a groundswell of opinion against nuclear power and the protest here, the good humour, the determination, is a good indicator for the future."

Ms Lucas said that Fukushima "reminded people that nuclear power, when there are accidents, is uniquely devastating in its result."

"We don't want those kinds of problems here," she said.

"The message that we want to send out from here is that nuclear power is unsafe, it is uneconomic, but more than anything it is unnecessary, we simply don't need it to get our emissions down and to keep the lights on."

Source: http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/116483

Tags: In the press

The one year anniversary of the devastating earthquake and tsunami on Japan's north east coast was marked in the UK over the weekend by the first 24-hour blockade of a nuclear site in over 30 years.

Following a demonstration by over 1,000 people at Hinkley Point C on the Severn estuary in Somerset, which veteran campaigner Martyn Lowe described as the largest anti-nuclear action in this country since protests against the Torness power station in 1979, 100 people blocked the main entrance to the site, stopping all traffic from entering or leaving for over 24 hours.

The peaceful demonstration and blockade were organised by Stop New Nuclear, a coalition of anti-nuclear groups which includes the Somerset-based Stop Hinkley. Its spokesperson, Camilla Berens, called this a “double record" for nuclear protest in this country.

The blockade formally ended at 2pm on Sunday when Japanese Buddhist monks performed a prayer for the victims of the tsunami that precipitated the Fukushima disaster and urged the UK government to take a more enlightened view on energy provision.

Martyn Lowe added: “It is clear that the tide is turning against the government’s push for a ‘nuclear renaissance’. The British public is waking up to the fact that ‘new nuclear’ is dangerous, expensive and completely unnecessary.”

Among those who addressed the crowd were Green MP Caroline Lucas, environmental campaigner Jonathon Porritt, and Makoto and Akiko Ishiyama, a Japanese couple who were evacuated from the area around Fukushima, Japan.

“The government says it is now safe and they want local people to come back, but it’s a total lie,” Makoto Ishiyama told the crowd. “There is still a risk, it’s not safe and the accident isn’t over.”

Jonathon Porritt, who is launching a new book which provides a 'warts and all' overview of nuclear giant EDF Energy’s influence on Whitehall and Westminster, told the assembly that new nuclear power stations like Hinkley C could never operate without massive public subsidies towards their costs, including insurance and radioactive waste management.

Such potential subsidies are currently the subject of a legal complaint to the European Commission.

Jonathon Porritt said he found it “unbelievable" that nuclear energy was being put forward as a solution to climate change due to the expense and the timescale, as well as EDF's recent record in constructing plants which have been over budget and over schedule, and he called on the government to reconsider its energy strategy.

He added: “It is clear we can do everything we need to do without nuclear power. The whole thing is being fixed to suit the nuclear industry. In Germany, they are working towards a nuclear-free future that affordable and realistic. Why is it we don’t think Germany is a really good model to follow?”

Porritt slammed the Liberal Democrats as they gathered for their spring conference. Referring to the U-turn on their previous anti-nuclear policy, he said: “It seems there is no betrayal to which they will not stoop to keep in power.”

The Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas, echoed Porritt’s call for an end to nuclear power in the UK. She added: “The £60bn the government wants invested in new nuclear is £60bn that should be channelled into developing renewable energy sources and making them fit for purpose in the 21st century”.

Stop Hinkley spokesman Crispin Aubrey said: “This has been one of the biggest protests ever held at Hinkley Point and shows the strength of feeling against EDF’s plans. The new reactors would be a constant drain on public funds and we don’t need nuclear power to keep the lights on.”

Alternative strategy

The government is prepared to abandon its nuclear programme if there is sufficient opposition from the public, and has in place an alternative strategy which involves a stop-gap implementation of combined heat and power plants, Stop New Nuclear's spokesperson Camilla Berens told Energy and Environmental Management.

She claimed that Chris Huhne told her this last year, when he was energy secretary, at a meeting arranged by the organisation.

"He said the strategy was that to start with most of these CHP plants would be fuelled by conventional gas, which would be replaced over time by an increasing amount of zero carbon gas from anaerobic digestion," she said.

This would fill the energy gap until a sufficient amount of renewable electricity come online from other sources: offshore wind and marine.

She said: "A decentralised approach with a broad mix of renewable and energy-efficient technologies can help reduce any future stresses brought about by foreign energy providers".

"Arguably, if the gas-fed CHP route is taken, it’s possible the Europe might be hit by a repeat of the kind of disruption caused by Russia’s dispute with the Ukraine in 2009. But the nuclear sector faces similar uncertainty.

"The world’s leading uranium producer is Kazakhstan – a nation that offers no greater reassurance of future energy security than its Russian neighbour. Meanwhile, the long-distance transportation of uranium from mines in Canada and Australia also presents risks in terms of accidents and terrorism," said Berens.

A further alternative strategy, which again uses the government's own figures, has been proposed in a report published earlier this month called A Corruption of Governance?, by the Association for the Conservation of Energy and pressure group Unlock Democracy. This document also accuses the government of a pro-nuclear stitch-up.

Plans for new nuclear

Currently, EDF has permission to carry out "preparatory works" on the 400-acre Hinkley C site but does not yet have safety approval for their new nuclear plant or planning consent to build the twin reactors.

The Office for Nuclear Regulation, which overlooks the safety aspects of nuclear power in this country, has granted an interim Design Acceptance Confirmation (DAC) and interim Statement of Design Acceptability (SoDA) to two designs for new reactors in the UK: Westinghouse's AP100 and EDF / AREVA’s EPR (European Pressurised Reactor). All the reports supporting this are here.

However, Westinghouse has not found a customer in this country, leaving EDF / AREVA's design as the only one being progressed at the moment; the first instance of this design is intended to be Hinkley Point C.

These companies are this year to provide the ONR with further information in an attempt to achieve final Design Acceptance Confirmation (DAC) and a Statement of Design Acceptability (SoDA).

The ONR are says that EDF has missed deadlines due to "their resources being deployed on assessment of the impact of the Fukushima event".

The Environment Agency last month granted an environmental permit to EDF Energy's and Centrica's joint venture company, NNB Generation Company Limited (NNB GenCo), which will be constructing the power station, relating to discharges of waste water generated from site preparation and construction activities at the Hinkley site.

Clean-up costs

Luckily, no one has yet died of radiation poisoning after the Fukushima accident, but the Japan Centre for Economic Research has estimated the entire cost of compensation and decommissioning of the six Fukushima reactors at between £330bn and £415bn.

The Japanese government has already agreed to provide nuclear operator TEPCO £9bn and the company has asked for an additional £7bn. This does not include government funds used to underwrite the cost of compensating the victims of the disaster.

This puts in perspective the public liability of just £1bn accepted by EDF for any accident at one of their new nuclear power stations. The UK government has agreed that it would foot the bill for any amount over this, were the worst to happen.

Back at Hinkley, Crispin Aubrey said that the weekend's action followed protestors occupying a barn in the middle of the building site for Hinkley C at the end of February.

This barn was occupied by the group for two weeks. Aubrey said that EDF obtained an injunction to remove the protesters but tried to extend the ban to any action by Stop New Nuclear.

"This was opposed successfully in the High Court by the organisation and by Stop Hinkley, on the basis of the right to free speech," he said.

He added that EDF still lacked the finance to proceed and there were strong doubts that the power station would ever be completed.

Story: David Thorpe, News Editor

Source: http://www.eaem.co.uk/news/protestors-mark-fukushima-anniversary-blockad...

Tags: In the press

The first large-scale anti-nuclear protest in the country for years injected a dash of colour to the misty plain of Hinkley Point as flag-waving demonstrators blocked the main road to the nuclear complex at the weekend.

The protesters, numbering at least 1,000, were joined by environmentalists Jonathon Porritt and Caroline Lucas MP to decry the Government’s plan for more nuclear power stations.

Mr Porritt told the Western Daily Press: “For a lot of people the fact we’re having this debate all over again is unbelievable – clearly this is technology that has nothing to offer people here in the UK or anywhere else in the world. We absolutely don’t need any more nuclear.”

Britain’s only Green Party member of parliament, Caroline Lucas, added: “The Government is trying to bamboozle people into thinking the lights would go out without nuclear – the reality is that it is actually draining resources away from cleaner, greener, safer, cheaper forms of energy that could keep the lights on and our emissions down.”

On the anniversary of the tsunami which threatened a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima plant in Japan, EDF, the French energy company which operates Hinkley Point and hopes to build the third station, declared the protest a failure.

“We are estimating there are around 400 to 450 protesters in total,” spokesman Gordon Bell said on Saturday. “The protest’s stated aim was to ‘surround’ the power station with ‘thousands’ of people, so they have fallen well short of this aim.

“In fact, more Somerset companies – 800 – have registered with us to work on the project than there are individual protesters from all around the country.”

But organisers declared that more than 1,000 were present, with CND’s general secretary Kate Hudson claiming Saturday’s demonstration could be the start of a new wave of protest against nuclear power generation.

Asked if people in the area had accepted the idea of a new station when faced with concerns about energy supplies, local protester Crispin Aubrey said: “If you look at Japan nearly all their nuclear power stations were closed down after the Fukushima accident, but the economy is still working. Their lights are not going off.”

Source: http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Hinkley-Point-Anti-nuclear-demonstration...

Tags: In the press

Press release: 11 March 2012

For more information contact Nancy Birch on: 07980 509986

On the first anniversary of the Fukushima disaster, anti-nuclear campaigners claimed two records in two days. The mass protest at Hinkley Point nuclear power station on Saturday attracted more than 1,000 people from all over the UK – the largest protests against a the construction of a nuclear power station in four decades.

And today (Sunday) the Stop New Nuclear alliance successfully concluded the first ever 24-hour blockade of a UK nuclear power station. Nancy Birch, spokesperson for the alliance said: “This is a major victory for the anti-nuclear movement and a sign that the tide is turning against the government’s nuclear renaissance.”

On Saturday, leading environmentalists Jonathon Porritt and Caroline Lucas MP joined over 1000 demonstrators at Hinkley Point to mark the first anniversary of Fukushima and to call for a halt to the government’s bid to build eight new nuclear power stations. Protesters came from as far away as Ireland, France and Taiwan.

A mini tent city then emerged as over 100 people remained outside the main gate at Hinkley overnight - camping on the tarmac in makeshift tents. The blockade formally ended at 2pm today when Japanese bhuddist monks performed a prayer for the victims of the Tsunami that precipitated the Fukushima disaster and to urge the UK government to take a more enlightened view on energy provision.

Nancy Birch added: “It is clear that the public is waking up to the fact that we don’t need nuclear power to keep the lights on. Germany is leading the way in creating a blueprint for a sustainable energy future that is nuclear-free, affordable and doesn’t leave its citizens with the shadow of another Fukushima hanging over their heads. The burning question is, if Germany can do it, why can’t we?”

Martyn Lowe, a verteran anti-nuclear campaigner said he had not seen such a large turnout since the mass protest against the construction of the Torness nuclear power station in 1979.

He added, “The simple fact it that that ‘new nuclear’ is dangerous, expensive and completely unnecessary.”

ENDS

Notes to the editor:
Jonathon Porritt is launching a new book which provides a warts and all overview of nuclear giant EDF Energy’s influence on Whitehall and Westminster.

Stop New Nuclear press releases

Anti-nuclear protesters have completed a 24-hour blockade of the entrance to Hinkley Point nuclear power station, marking the first anniversary of the disaster at the Fukushima power station in Japan.

The Stop New Nuclear alliance hailed the rally as the "largest anti-nuclear protest in three decades" with up to 1,000 demonstrators surrounding the site on Saturday.

Protesters were also demonstrating over plans to build the first new nuclear reactors in Britain on the site.

A number of protesters stayed overnight with over 100 people blocking the main entrance, stopping all traffic from entering or leaving the site, which is about 10 miles from Bridgwater, in Somerset.

The Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant was rocked by explosions and damage to the reactors after systems failed following an earthquake and subsequent tsunami in north east Japan.

Hinkley Point is seen by protesters as the new "front line" in the fight against the use of nuclear power.

Nancy Birch, spokeswoman for the alliance said: "We've successfully concluded the first ever 24-hour blockade of a UK nuclear power station.

"This is a major victory for the anti-nuclear movement and a sign that the tide is turning against the government's nuclear renaissance.

"A mini tent city emerged as over 100 people remained outside the main gate at Hinkley overnight - camping on the tarmac in makeshift tents."

The blockade formally ended when Japanese Buddhist monks performed a prayer for the victims of the tsunami that precipitated the Fukushima disaster.

Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jjnCvxI8QTlU3mTeT...

Tags: In the press

Press release: 10 March 2012

For more information contact Nancy Birch on: 07527-219476

The Stop New Nuclear alliance has hailed today’s mass rally at Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station as the largest anti-nuclear protest in three decades.

Over 1,000 people from all over the UK converged at the main gates of EDF Energy’s Somerset power station to mark the first anniversary of the Fukushima disaster and to call for an end to the government’s ‘nuclear renaissance.’

Speaking from the demonstration, Martyn Rowe, a verteran anti-nuclear campaigner said he had not seen such a large turnout since the mass protest against the construction of the Torness nuclear power station in 1979.

He added, “It is clear that the tide is turning against the government’s push for a ‘nuclear renaissance’. The British public is waking up to the fact that ‘new nuclear’ is dangerous, expensive and completely unnecessary.”

Mr Lowe words were underlined the leading environmentalist Jonathon Porritt. Speaking at the rally he said he found it ‘unbelievable’ that nuclear energy was being put forward as a solution to climate change. And he called on the government reconsider its energy strategy.

He added: “It is clear we can do everything we need to do without nuclear power. The whole thing is being fixed to suit the nuclear industry. In Germany, they are working towards a nuclear-free future that affordable and realistic. Why is it we don’t think Germany is a really good model to follow?”

Porritt also rounded on the Liberal Democrats as they gathered for their annual conference. Referring to the LibDem u-turn on their anti-nuclear policy, he said: “It seems there is no betrayal to which they will not stoop to keep in power.”

Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas, echoed Porritt’s call for an end to nuclear power in the UK. She added, “The £60 billion the government wants invested in new nuclear is £60billion that should be channelled into developing renewable energy sources and making them fit for purpose in the 21st century.”

Kate Hudson, chair of CND also called for and end to the UK’s ‘insane and criminal addiction to both nuclear power and nuclear weapons’.

The gathering at Hinkley, which included supporters from France and Taiwan, was more than double the size of the blockade of Hinkley Point held last October. Nancy Birch, spokesperson for Kick Nuclear said, “Today we have captured the public’s minds and hearts. We have heard first hand from a young Japanese couple of the desperate situation that the people of Japan are facing in the wake of the Fukushima disaster.

The question we need to ask is, do we really want to put our children under threat from a similar catastrophe in the UK when there are viable alternatives to nuclear power at our disposal?”

ENDS

Stop New Nuclear press releases

Hundreds of protesters have gathered at Hinkley Point nuclear power station in Somerset to mark the first anniversary of the Fukushima disaster in Japan.

The demonstrators planned to blockade the site for 24 hours.

Gordon Bell, spokesman for the station owner EDF, said Hinkley Point B had a "full and proper review" to ensure EDF learnt from the lessons of Fukushima.

The Japanese nuclear plant was destroyed in a tsunami on 11 March 2011, leaving massive contamination.

The tsunami left more than 20,000 people dead and tens of thousands had to leave the area as radiation leaked into the atmosphere, sea and food chain.
'Brass band'

The Hinkley protesters had hoped to form a human chain around the power station but instead walked around the three-mile (4.8km) perimeter fence.

Organisers claimed 700 people had arrived by Saturday lunchtime, while EDF estimated up to 450 protesters.

BBC reporter, Jules Hyam, said: "The protest is very good-natured with a wide variety of ages.

"There's a small police presence but within the compound there are many security people keeping a watchful eye on the proceedings.

"Many protesters are waving banners, there's a brass band and a number of speakers have addressed the crowd."

The site at Hinkley, which is about 10 miles from Bridgwater, is one earmarked for a new nuclear power station.

Mr Bell said that while the independent Office for Nuclear Regulation has declared that it is satisfied with the results of all the stress tests on the site, EDF had looked for opportunities to make its sites even safer.

"We must ensure we are never complacent and continue to strive towards improving safety at every opportunity," he added.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-17325543

Tags: In the press

Large crowds of protesters gathered at Hinkley Point nuclear power station, near Burnham-On-Sea, on Saturday (March 10th) to mark the first anniversary of the Fukushima disaster in Japan.

The protesters walked around the three mile perimeter fence to call for an end to the government's 'nuclear renaissance' in the wake of the Japanese tsunami tragedy in which over 20,000 people died.

Organisers from Stop New Nuclear claimed "over 1,000 people" from all over the UK converged at the main gates of Hinkley Power power station although EDF disputed the figures and said up to 450 protesters were in attendance.

Speaking at the demonstration, Martyn Rowe, a verteran anti-nuclear campaigner, said he had not seen such a large turnout since the mass protest against the construction of the Torness nuclear power station in 1979.

"It is clear that the tide is turning against the government's push for a 'nuclear renaissance'. The British public is waking up to the fact that 'new nuclear' is dangerous, expensive and completely unnecessary," he said.

Environmentalist Jonathon Porritt, also speaking at the rally, said he found it "unbelievable" that nuclear energy was being put forward as a solution to climate change and he called on the government reconsider its energy strategy.

He added: "It is clear we can do everything we need to do without nuclear power. The whole thing is being fixed to suit the nuclear industry. In Germany, they are working towards a nuclear-free future that affordable and realistic. Why is it we don’t think Germany is a really good model to follow?"

Gordon Bell, spokesman for the station owner EDF, said Hinkley Point B had conducted a "full and proper review" to ensure EDF learnt from the lessons of Fukushima.

Mr Bell said that while the independent Office of Nuclear Regulation has declared that it is satisfied with the results of all the stress tests on the site, EDF had looked for opportunities to make its sites even safer. "We must ensure we are never complacent and continue to strive towards improving safety at every opportunity," he said.

The Hinkley Point site is earmarked for a new nuclear power station comprising two reactors, as pictured in the photomontage above.

Source: http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/news/2012/hinkley-protest-10-03-12.php

Tags: In the press