Nuclear Heritage Network

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Welcome on the website of the campaign "Nuclear Heritage"!

We want to connect anti-nuclear activists worldwide, provide information regarding nuclear issues and anti-nuclear activities in many countries and develop projects and campaigns. This website offers you background information, images, press releases, material and much more. Take some time to explore the Nuclear Heritage Network!

This website is based on the MediaWiki software (similar to Wikipedia) - this means you can edit pages, add your anti-nuclear contents or publish flyers. Help to extend the contents of our webpage, make translations or corrections and add new topics.

The Nuclear Heritage Network is more than this website. Twice a year we organize international network meetings, there are several mailing lists for communication and several international cooperation projects. We are also developing informational material on local topics in different languages for international use.

• Baltic Sea Info Tour on June 22rd-August 21st, 2010

• World Congress 2010 - Nuclear Abolition: For A Future! on August 25-30, 2010 in Basel (CH)
• Olkiluoto Blockade on August 28, 2010 (FIN)
• Castor Transport to Lubmin from France and Karlsruhe (D) to Lubmin nearby Greifswald (D) in autumn 2010
• Nuclear Waste Transport to Ahaus from several German nuclear facilities (D)
• Anti-atomic demonstration in Berlin on September 18, 2010 (D)
• International Radioactive Waste Action Day (International Mayak Action Day) on September 29th, 2010
• Demonstration Against the Commissioning of the Final Nuclear Waste Repository Schacht Konrad on September 29th, 2010 in Salzgitter (D)
• Devonport blockade in the UK on November 1st, 2010
• Castor transport to Gorleben from La Hague (F) to Germany probably during the third week of November, 2010
  • start demonstration for the anti-castor blockades probably on November 13th, 2010 in Dannenberg (D)
• Nuclear Waste & Pollution Conference in Minsk (BY) probably in March, 2011
• International Nuclear Activists Conference in Lancaster University (UK) on March 9-11, 2010
• International Anti-nuclear Network Meeting Summer 2011; maybe near České Budějovice (border between Austria and Czech Republic)

• Three Mile Island accident
• Books about nuclear issues
• Concerns about nuclear power
• Anti-nuclear movement
• Amory Lovins
• Mycle Schneider
• Uranium Mining
• Anti-nuclear movement in Australia
• Anti-nuclear Movement in Germany
• Anti-nuclear Movement in Russia
• Nuclear Controversy in Finland
• Ranua Uranium Exploration Action
• The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2009
• Nuclear 9/11
• Nuclear disasters
• List of all articles

NUCLEAR SAFETY OF THE BALTIC & BARENTS REGIONS

Over the past forty years, 32 nuclear power plants (NPP) have been constructed and operated in the Baltic and Barents regions. Taking into account their operating experience, all countries of the Baltic region have got divided into two groups: nuclear optimists and nuclear pessimists. Thus for safety reasons, the countries located in the west of the Baltic region either refused construction of the new nuclear power plants (Denmark) or started decommission process of the existing power units (Germany, Sweden, Lithuania). At the same time, the countries in the east of the region either extend the service life of their old NPPs (Russia) or build the new nuclear plants (Finland and Russia). The new NPP construction projects are being most actively promoted exactly along the border of division between the nuclear optimists and the nuclear pessimists.

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Biketour headed from Turku to Mariehamn for the start of the Baltic Sea Info Tour

On Tuesday June 22 the Nuclear Baltic Sea Info Tour starts in Mariehamn in Finland. On Saturday June 19 an anti-nuclear bike tour started from Turku (Finland) biking through the archipelago heading to Mariehamn. The purpose was to slowly start the bigger Baltic Sea Info Tour that will travel around the sea for two month until middle of August. The bike activists also wanted to tell locals on their way about the harms of nuclear power which directly affect the area where they were biking. They also wanted to show that traveling can be fueled by our own power.

The biketour started on Saturday 19th of June from the Turku market square, a central place with a lot of commerce, where there was a short info happening. People were handing out flyers and there was a banner announcing the purpose of the bikers gathering there: Stop Nuclear Power! - bike tour. In general people showed interest and several people stopped to talk longer. The basic feeling was nice and exciting, even though there had been rain promised for the whole weekend. There were 12 people taking part between ages 3 to 53. The people taking part were coming from different parts of Finland and there was also a Belgian activist.

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Accidents in Nuclear Power Plants - Increasing Number With Raising Age

A recently published statistical report of the German radiation protection authority BfS showed an increasing amount of accidents and incidents in German nuclear reactors: In certain Pressurized Water Reactors the number of those incidents is raising since 1994. This tendency is connected to the age of the reactors and shows the necessity to close down these risky facilities immediately. The upgrading measures aiming to improve the safety have even worsened the risk as the statistics show. At the same time when more incidents happen, the probability of a serious nuclear accident is increasing.

Another publication of the Austrian environmental NGO Global 2000 shows the operating and decommissioned European nuclear power plants and makes some of their accidents examplarily visible. A map of Europe shows these nuclear facilities. In Germany on average every three days an incidents occurs and in French NPPs there another incident takes place on average every two days.

sources:

• Global 2000: Atomkraft in Europa German
• sonnenseite.com: GLOBAL 2000 veröffentlicht AKW-Störfall-Karte German
• SpiegelOnline: Pannenstatistik. Alt-AKWs plagen besonders viele Technikprobleme German

148,000 Protested Against Nuclear Power in Germany

On Saturday 24 April, a few days before Chernobyl Day, some 120,000 demonstrators formed a 120 kilometer human chain between the Northern German NPPs Brunsbüttel and Krümmel - both reactors have been offline for years due to accidents. A convoy of tractors and other vehicles traveled from the Gorleben region for several days and joint the activists at the NPP Krümmel. Some additional 10,000 to 20,000 protesters encricled the NPP Biblis in the federal state of Hesse, which is the oldest German NPP in operation and which already accumulated about 800 accidents and incidents since its operation start. At the waste repository for spent fuel elements in Ahaus some 6,000 to 8,000 people protested against the planned waste transports to Ahaus and against the governments plans to extend the lifetimes of the German reactors.

Finnish Governments Proposal for Two New Reactors: Crazy and Irresponsible

On Wednesday the Finnish government announced that they will put a proposal to build two new nuclear reactors in Finland to the Finnish parliament: an additional plant at Olkiluoto in the Eurajoki region and a NPP for "Fennovoima", the German joint venture with several Finnish companies to establish a third nuclear site in Finland in addition to Olkiluoto and Loviisa. No-one but the nuclear industry needs more nuclear power plants in Finland. It's a shame that the Finnish authorities seem to be in bed with the nuclear companies.

The Finnish government's incomprehensible decision to support further new reactors has met with harsh criticism from anti-nuclear activists across Europe and beyond. The government is obviously willing to sacrifice people's health and the environment to the nuclear industry's profits. Anti-nuclear groups around the Baltic Sea plan an information tour in the summer, to educate about the impacts of nuclear facilities on the environment and people living in the region and to raise the awareness of the dangers associated with nuclear power.

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No uranium mining in Alentejo - Portugal's radioactive legacy

Sheep and goats graze under the cork trees, the sun glitters silver on the leaves in the olive groves; gardens full of orange and mandarin trees; the streams gurgle sweetly as they flow; the aroma of ham, smoked sausage and the famous Nisa cheese is in the air: all around the little mediaeval city of Nisa, in Portugal, there is a wealth of tradition and good flavours. And that' s something that the people there, in the northern part of the Alentejo, don't want to give up for anything - least of all for uranium mining.

Portugal has been exploiting its uranium reserves as long as anywhere. The first license for mining this yellow, radioactive heavy-metal was issued a hundred years ago in 1909. After the Second World War Portuguese uranium oxide was used by both the Americans and the British for their nuclear industry and atomic bombs. By 1991, 62 mines, most of them in the central region orf Portugal, were already producing the mineral, but since then production has slowed, mainly because the price of uranium on world markets collapsed. Now, however, demand for this nuclear fuel has risen again, and since 1998, with higher prices, the prospect of mining has hung over the 3,600 residents of Nisa like a radioactive sword of Damocles as in 1959, about two kilometers from the edge of town, they discovered the biggest unexploited reserves of uranium anywhere in Portugal. Sixty percent of all uranium ore in the Alto Alentejo lies here, more than six million tonnes, of which about 650 tonnes of uranium oxide can be extracted.

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More Wind Power in Germany

Munich (dpa) - The consolidation of German wind power has reached a new record according to information of the "Süddeutsche Zeitung". After two years of stagnation the number of new wind power stations that started operation rose again in 2009, the newspaper reported on Wednesday (January 27th, 2010). According to a study of the "Deutsches Windenergie-Institut (DEWI)" the major renewable power generation branch has been clearly growing faster than expected. Therefore during the last year, nearly 950 wind power stations have been connected to the grid with a total capacity of 1917 megawatt - an increase of 15 percent compared with the previous year. This corresponds to the capacity of two nuclear power plants. Worldwide only the USA has a larger number of wind power stations. According to the report Germany reached a total capacity of 25,800 megawatt. The latest surge was surprising. At the beginning of the year, the branch had expected a deficit because of the worst economic crisis since decades.

Source: Greenpeace Magazin (German)

Almost 50% of Albertans 'conflicted' about nuclear power, report says

More than a quarter of Albertans oppose allowing nuclear power plants to be built in the province, while almost half remain "conflicted" about the energy source, according to a new government report released Monday (Dec 14, 2009).

And people north of Edmonton - were several nuclear plants have been proposed - were more likely to oppose building the plants, by around 32 per cent, compared to the Calgary region, at 24 per cent, was the least opposed.

"Only those Albertans who hold consistently positive views of science and the nuclear industry - and are less concerned by the potential for negative consequences - actually want to see the government encourage nuclear proposals," said the report by Alberta Energy.

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German Energy Giant RWE Withdraws from Bulgarian Nuclear Power Plant

In a letter to the Bulgarian Energy holding, the German company RWE announced on October 28th its withdrawal from the controversial Belene nuclear power plant (NPP) in northern Bulgaria. RWE cites doubts about the project´s profitability as the major reason for the company´s retreat.

"For the past 18 months, we´ve been pointing out to RWE that Belene is a high-risk project in terms of safety, economics, environment and corruption," says Heffa Schücking from the German environment NGO Urgewald. "It sure took the company a long time to face up to the facts," she comments.

RWE´s decision comes in the wake of a broad grass-roots campaign of German environment organizations against RWE´s investment plans in Belene. Some 30,000 German citizens sent letters and petitions to RWE´s CEO asking him to withdraw from the project. Several of the company´s major investors also spoke out against the plan to invest into a NPP in an area of high seismicity in a country with low nuclear standards and high corruption.

"This is the beginning of the end of Belene," says Petko Kovachev from the Bulgarian Green Policy Institute. "After 12 international banks decided to decline financing for the project in 2006 and 2007, RWE was Belene´s last hope," explains Kovachev. RWE was slated to provide 49% of the project´s equity and its decision to withdraw sends out a clear signal to investors and banks regarding the project´s questionable economics.

read the whole article

Belarus: Hearings on Environmental Impact Assessment falsified

Today, on the 9th of October, public hearings took place on the question of construction of a nuclear power plant. All the entrances to the cinema where the hearings were held got blocked by riot police and streets were filled with cops in civil. Documents and leaflets containing criticism of the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) were illegally confiscated because of their 'doubtful' contents. Employees of state institutions were brought to the hearings by buses. The forcedly assembled audience was registered in advance, in violation of regulations. Many registered participants were not let inside.

Advocating was allowed only to the state employees in favour of nuclear power plant construction, others were denied to speak. The denial was justified by the fact that they supposedly had registered late. Thus, the procedure of hearings didn't meet the standards and the results can't be recognized as independent.

The Russian expert in nuclear physics Andrey Ozharovskiy was arrested in the morning on a charge of disorderly conduct. At the moment he is facing the court. Only 4 people were let into the courtroom, 2 of which are the witnesses. Anonymous men in civil are blocking the entrance to the court-house and refuse to identify themselves.

Thus, the authorities showed their true face again - they are not going to let the dissidents speak openly on the important matters to those in power.

more info:

• https://belarus.indymedia.org/18507 Russian
• https://belarus.indymedia.org/18493 Russian

contact:
Belarus Anti-Nuclear Resistance

• http://belarusantiatom.info/
• http://anr.noblogs.org/
• email: antiatombel AT riseup.net^[1]

Anti-nuclear demonstration & conference in Colmar

On October, 3rd about 7,000 people took part in a demonstration in the French border town of Colmar (sited in Alsace, near the German-Swiss border) against the nuclear plant of Fessenheim. Speakers from France, Switzerland and Germany criticised the ongoing operation of the oldest nuclear reactor of France in Fessenheim and the expected decision to extend the reactor license for another 10 years. A minute's silence and wailing sirens illustrated a nuclear accident. Different music bands, street actions, a huge banner action and many yellow T-Shirts were just a few aspects of a peaceful and powerful demonstration against nuclear energy.

The prefect of Upper Rhine and the mayor of Colmar denied the demonstration to take place inside the town center of Colmar and moved it to a place in front of the city's train station. Authorities deployed about 3,000 police officers, dozens of anti-riot police vehicles and trucks with water cannons all over Colmar.

On Saturday evening and on Sunday different conferences and concerts took place on locations in and around Colmar. Different activists from around the world refered about uranium mining, actions of civil disobedience, the plans about new nuclear power plants in Switzerland and many other topics.

Polish Community Gives Up NPP Plans

The Polish border town Gryfino has given up its plans to build a nuclear power plant. "In view of the vehement protests in Germany it makes no sense to think about it anymore", mayor Henryk Pilat told the "Märkische Oderzeitung".

Especially the big demonstration of anti-nuclear activists in Berlin last weekend impressed him, Pilat continued. The local politician made clear that the town is most interested in the modernization of the old coal fired station "Dolna Odra". Some 2,200 employers are currently working for the power station.

(translated excerpt of an article in Märkische Oderzeitung from September 10th, 2009)

Camp in Ranua Set Up to Monitor Areva's Mining Activities

On August 26, a basecamp has been established for the Ranua Rescue Areva Mining Monitors. During the Lapland Nuclear Climate Camp in July, we learned from locals that Areva has already begun their uranium prospecting in Ranua, Lapland. We have come here to monitor Areva's activities and help support the resistance to uranium mining here, and everywhere.

We have found a beautiful location for the camp, near a lake, within an old forest, on the edge of Areva's massive prospecting claim area. We need thoughtful, respectful people, skills, supplies, support, laughter, and dedication!

You can check the site http://www.nuclearfreefinland.org, and the blog on http://www.ranuarescue.blogspot.com. Soon we will be sending photos and directions to get here, we will also set up a schedule for when people are most needed, what is needed, and what events will be happening.

When you want to come to the camp, contact in advance (camp (at) nuclearfreefinland.org) and tell us your arrival time in Ranua. From there you can phone the camp work phone number +358 40 365 2041.UNIQ33ecf0416db83f56-ref-5c298b12201507600000002-QINU

We can't trust Areva or the authorities. All their information is really contradictional. First both Areva and the environmental authorities said clearly: Areva doesn't and can't start the deep drilling before they get the claim. Areva has announced several times that they stop working because there is nothing they could legally do before the ministry's permission-claim.

BUT: there are at least two holes, and an expert said after seeing a foto that those look like drilling holes. No one knows how deep those are, as Kaipainen from Areva says they haven't drilled anything. The chief of the environment protection from "Lapplands enviroment center" didn't know anything about the holes (with white, sweating face), but wanted to have the fotos and after all said that AREVA IS ALLOWED TO DO DEEP DRILLING BY THE PERMISSION OF THE LAND OWNER, and there is nothing they can do unless they could proof that it would harm the environment seriously, the mere possibility is not enough. The boss of Areva says they are not doing anything, because they can't. But at the same time, they said on their website that they can start drilling by the land owners permission.

So we see that there is a need for observers. Ready to film whatever happens there, and call more people if they try to start drilling. Hopefully they won't, if they know it wouldn't stay hidden. But if they would be that stupid, we would be ready to act and the show would really start.

The idea is that the camp will stay there as long as needed, meaning also over the winter. Some people may visit one night, some longer. There are already tents with "fireplace", and the idea is to build the camp so that it will be possible, even nice, to be there during winter time as well (personally waiting for the northern lights...)

One point is, that Ranua council will, after all, vote on their opinion about the mining soon. Starting the camp just when they vote can be the best timing ever! Even if their "no" wouldn't save the situation, just make it a little bit better.

Study shows: Nuclear energy on downward trend worldwide

Source: Federal Environment Ministry of Germany English | German
The share of nuclear energy in worldwide energy consumption is marginal and has been declining for several years. This is revealed in a study by independent experts of the energy and nuclear sector which was published by the Federal Environment Ministry today. As Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said: "The renaissance of nuclear energy, much trumpeted by its supporters, is not taking place. The only thing frequently revived is the announcement. The study shows: the number of old nuclear power plants which are decommissioned worldwide is greater than the number of new ones taking up operation. Available resources, engineering performance and funds are not even enough to stop the downward trend, let alone increase the number of reactors. All the facts are in favour of phasing out this technology while at the same time expanding the use of renewable energies and energy efficiency, as this is a promising option for the future."

The authors of the study, headed by Mycle Schneider, Paris, collected crucial quantitative and qualitative facts on nuclear power plants which are in operation, being built or planned today and assess the economic viability of old and new nuclear power plants.

At the time of going to press, 1 August 2009, there were only 435 reactors in operation worldwide, which is nine less than in 2002. Nuclear energy accounts for only about 5.5 % of worldwide commercial primary energy consumption and only around 2 % of worldwide final energy consumption - and consumption has been steadily declining for years.

The authors also found out that the number of nuclear power plants will decrease worldwide over the next decades. Between 2015 and 2025 the capacity of nuclear power plants is expected to sink compared to today's output.

Even with the support of countries seeking to use nuclear energy in future, this downward trend will not be reversed. It is unlikely that these states will be able to set up the necessary technological, political and economic framework conditions for a civil nuclear energy programme in the near future. Most of this states also lack electricity grids which would be capable of holding or distributing the output of a larger reactor.

Furthermore, the authors are concerned that there will be a considerable shortness of qualified experts in almost all countries. Even in France, which probably has the largest pool of nuclear energy experts, the lack is worrying. Currently, there are only 300 graduates of nuclear technology study programmes compared to a demand of 1,200 to 1,500.

In addition to staffing problems, industrial capacities are not sufficient either. For example, Japan Steel Works is the only company in the world able to manufacture the cast steel parts for the pressure vessels of the European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR).

Current and planned building projects of the nuclear industry are becoming increasingly expensive. The EPR, for example, the flagship of the world's largest manufacturer of reactors, AREVA NP, which is currently in construction in Olkiluoto in Finland, has so far exceeded planned costs by at least 55 %.

• Read the underlying Study: English | German

New attention to Church Rock uranium spill comes 30 years later

Thirty years ago today, an earthen tailings dam near the United Nuclear Corp. Church Rock Uranium mine collapsed, spilling ninety million gallons of liquid radioactive waste and eleven hundred tons of solid mill wastes into the Rio Puerco.

The spill contaminated water, land and air at least 50 miles downstream on Navajo Nation land in New Mexico and Arizona.

It is believed that more radiation was released in the spill than in the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Pennsylvania, making the Church Rock spill the largest release of radioactive waste ever in the U.S. — and second only to the Chernobyl meltdown globally. The privately-owned site of the Church Rock spill is a Superfund site — and it is still leaking radioactive waste throughout Indian lands to this day.

The New Mexico Independent, By Tracy Dingmann 7/16/09 9:35 AM

• Read the whole story: http://newmexicoindependent.com/31989/31989

Plans for new NPPs in Ontario/Canada seem to fail

In July 2009, the nuclear power provider Bruce Power informed that the company has decided to withdraw their applications for new Nuclear Power Plants in Ontario. The demands for electricity in the province don't provide a reason for these investments. Instead of constructing new NPPs Bruce Power now wants to concentrate on the refurbishment of their old reactors.UNIQ33ecf0416db83f56-ref-5c298b12201507600000003-QINU Just some time ago the administration of Ontario had suspended the plans to construct new reactors in Darlington because of the high costsUNIQ33ecf0416db83f56-ref-5c298b12201507600000004-QINU

Bruce Power emphasized that this decision doesn't mean that they would also cancel their NPP plans in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In these provinces, that don't have nuclear power plants yet, the company waits for the government's general decisions concerning nuclear power.UNIQ33ecf0416db83f56-ref-5c298b12201507600000005-QINU

NPP Krümmel Blockaded Using Concrete And Tripods / Krümmel Offline After Third Accident Within 14 Days

In 2007, the German NPP Krümmel had been shut down after several accidents happened. The main accident was a fire and an explosion in the nuclear power station damaging one of two main transformers. After two years, on June 19, 2008, the NPP was restarted. Only a few days later, on June 23, another "incident" occurred: an electronic device failed. On July 1, the second accident happened and caused a shutdown of the power station - another transformer problem was the reason. For the next two days it was operated with reduced power to be back at 100% on July 4.

To protest against the restart of the NPP, some 200 activists blockaded the gate of the power station on July 3 walling up the entrance and using tripods to block it. They were supported by farmers of the Gorleben region with their tractors.

Only one day later, on July 4, the NPP was again shut down due to new transformer problems. This series of accidents and "incidents" reveals the threats coming from the Krümmel NPP.

• Read more about the blockade action in Krümmel (German)
• Information about the Krümmel NPP (German)

NO to Uranium Power - Antinuclear Climate Camp

Tervola, Lapland, Finland 20 – 26 of July 2009

Welcome to join our protest camp in finnish Lapland next summer! We won't allow this corner of the world to become a paradise of the nuclear industry!

Olkiluoto 3, The fifth reactor in the country is now under construction in Western Finland. Over a thousand mistakes have already been documented in the construction work. The cost of the construction is now twice the original budget, and the project is already three years behind schedule.

However, the Finnish government seems so excited about this success, that they are happy to let nuclear industry take care of the economy of the country in the future as well. The recent dramatic decrease in energy consumption has not affected the plans for possibly even three more reactors.

The problem with final storage for nuclear waste is said to be solved here, for the first time in the world. A huge grave has already been dug for high level radioactive waste, despite that the project is seen as absurd in expert circles.

As Finland has a reputation of having an exceptionally positive attitude toward the nuclear industry, it's not surprising that companies interested in uranium mining come here as well. There are almost 20 applications for uranium mining under way at the moment, in various places in Eastern and Northern Finland.

This year we´ll have a protest camp in Tervola, Lapland, near the Simo municipality, where the company Fennovoima (owned by German energy giant Eon) has bought land for building a new nuclear plant, close to one of the last open salmon rivers on the European continent. Small communities with economical problems are easy to buy, when the local politicians are more interested in the money than in the well-being of nature and the community in the long term. We´ll also pay a visit to areas of uranium prospecting.

The aim is to make the camp a space, where local movements against uranium prospecting and nuclear projects, NGOs that fight against the Finnish government's ridiculous energy policy, radical ecological groups, international anti-nuclear activists, and of course anyone else interested in the issues, can gather together, unite, and build a stronger movement. The program will provide information, skill sharing and action. Also, the aim is for the camp to be a space for sharing our visions about a safer and nicer future, and for learning to live respecting both the nature and the people around us!

More info:
http://www.nuclearfreefinland.org

email: youth(at)nuclearfreefinland.org^[1]

Uranium protest above the railway: French activist in German court on 4th of June

The pictures were meaningful. On 16th and 17th of Januray 2008 the French climbing activist Cécile Lecomte protested in Germany close to Steinfurt near Munster by abseiling above the railway against the export of radioactive uranium waste from the German enrichment plant Gronau to Russia. The action was very successful, the train had to stopp for about 7 hours. After the action, Urenco, the responsible company managing the Gronau enrichment plant told the public, that the company would stop these transports at the end of the year 2009.

After more than a year of dispute between court and prosecutor who didn't agree about the question whether the protest above the railway is punishable or not, the trial will take place at the court in Steinfurt on the 4th of June 2009. The prosecutor accuses Cécile Lecomte of coercion. The court already told it disapproves with this and doesn't see any coercion in the act of hanging above the railway. But the activist may receive a fine because the reglementation about railway traffic states that it is forbidden to go on/above the railway.

A lot of activists and anti-nuclear organisations are supporting Cécile Lecomte

Read more about this action German

Illegal German Final Disposal Site Occupied

On Friday, May 29, 2009, between several hundred and up to 1,000 activists (the numbers are differing depending on the source of information) spontaneously occupied the site of the planned Final Disposal Site in Gorleben, Germany. People cut the fences and entered the high-security areal of the Gorleben salt mine. The day before secret documents had been published proving that the operator of the facility was illegally building a Final Disposal Site for high level radioactive waste.

It has never been a secret, that Gorleben should become the Final Repository for high level radioactive in Germany. However, official authorities and the nuclear lobby always claimed that it would be "only" a research mine. For this reason there has never been an application for constructing a nuclear facility in this mine - that would require a nuclear administration procedure with the public's right to discuss those plans. Therefore, the Gorleben mine was constructed based on mining laws that don't intend to involve the public as much as nuclear laws would.

Activists reported that police wasn't able to prevent the action, although it was announced one day in advance. At least 200 activists entered the area of the Final Disposal Site aiming to level off the illegal buildings, supported by at least 20 tractors of local farmers. Before police was able to bring reinforcement, the tractors and most of the activists could leave the site announcing to return.

Read more about this action German

In Finland, Nuclear Renaissance Runs Into Trouble

By JAMES KANTER, May 28, 2009

In Finland, Nuclear Renaissance Runs Into Trouble

By JAMES KANTER

OLKILUOTO, Finland — As the Obama administration tries to steer America toward cleaner sources of energy, it would do well to consider the cautionary tale of this new-generation nuclear reactor site.

The massive power plant under construction on muddy terrain on this Finnish island was supposed to be the showpiece of a nuclear renaissance. The most powerful reactor ever built, its modular design was supposed to make it faster and cheaper to build. And it was supposed to be safer, too.

But things have not gone as planned.

After four years of construction and thousands of defects and deficiencies, the reactor’s 3 billion euro price tag, about $4.2 billion, has climbed at least 50 percent. And while the reactor was originally meant to be completed this summer, Areva, the French company building it, and the utility that ordered it, are no longer willing to make certain predictions on when it will go online.

While the American nuclear industry has predicted clear sailing after its first plants are built, the problems in Europe suggest these obstacles may be hard to avoid.

A new fleet of reactors would be standardized down to “the carpeting and wallpaper,” as Michael J. Wallace, the chairman of UniStar Nuclear Energy — a joint venture between EDF Group and Constellation Energy, the Maryland-based utility — has said repeatedly.

In the end, he says, that standardization will lead to significant savings.

But early experience suggests these new reactors will be no easier or cheaper to build than the ones of a generation ago, when cost overruns — and then accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl — ended the last nuclear construction boom.

In Flamanville, France, a clone of the Finnish reactor now under construction is also behind schedule and overbudget.

Read the whole story

source: New York Times

OL3 NPP- Building in Serious Safety Problems in Finland

The Finnish Nuclear and Radiation Safety Authority STUK says that the construction of the commercial nuclear reactor in Olkiluoto, which is to be the world’s largest, has not proceeded according to official requirements. STUK has demanded that the builder of the installation, the French company Areva correct faults with the automation that guides the plant.

A current affairs programme on YLE TV 2, the authority acquired a letter in which STUK warns Areva that the building site could be shut down if the automation is not fixed and approved.

According to STUK, the design of the automation does not meet the basic principles required for nuclear safety, and on this basis STUK does not see any possibilities to approve the automation for installation at Olkiluoto.

“Areva NP SAS was to have designed very important systems for safety, but unfortunately, the attitude or lack of professional knowledge of certain individuals who represented the organisation in question at meetings of experts prevent progress in solving the concerns”, states a letter addressed to the director-general of Areva.

There was no immediate comment from Areva.

Source: YLE

Peace Walk "Towards a Nuclear Free Future" started

The first steps of this years Footprints for Peace Walk "Towards a Nuclear Free Future" has began from the World Health Organisation, Geneva Switzerland.

Twenty five international walkers from USA, Australia, Switzerland, Netherlands, France and Italy have joined together to walk from the World Health Organisation in Geneva to the European Parliament in Brussels for over 70 days to raise awareness about alternative energy and sustainable lifestyles while exposing the deadly effects of the nuclear industry.

The walk will visit many nuclear facilities to work with local communities to raise public awareness about the suffering and coercion that local community and environment through out the world face by the nuclear industry. The nuclear process affects us all - from the mining of uranium, transportation, enrichment, reprocessing, nuclear power plants, weapons and dumping of radioactive waste.

Footprints for Peace took part in the Chernobyl International Action Day and joined with others to make a chain from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to the United Nations in a tribute to Chernobyl liquidators. In an emotional vigil many stood in white masks behind pictures of those that have passed for the independence of the WHO and for the truth about the consequences of radioactive contamination on health. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) keeps pretending no more than 50 people have died so as to protect the nuclear industry.

Footprints for Peace REFUSES to FORGET Chernobyl as it still keeps claiming lives today.

We will remember Chernobyl in Australia, deepening our commitment to a nuclear free future as the Western Australia Government is planning to start mining uranium in this State: Uranium Mining is the first step to DISASTER!!

Footprints for Peace is a global community of friends who are dedicated to creating change through peaceful action. Our aim is to educate, inspire, empower individuals and communities in building a sustainable future.

This years walk will end the series of walks that has happened in Europe since 2007 leading up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We will be walking in 2010 from Y12 Nuclear Facility in Tennessee to the United Nations in New York for the Nuclear Non Proliferation Review Conference.

Please pass through friends, family and contacts as we would like to one day walk with you all....

For more information see: http://www.footprintsforpeace.net

[ Read old messages in the archive! ]

You can contact us via e-mail europas-atomerbe ÄTT greenkids.de^[1] or telephone ( +49 391-72 72 657). A wiki-homepage is being built at http://greenkids.de/europas-atomerbe.

On the longer run, this website and the communication in general are supposed to be at least bi-lingual (German/English) and if possible realised in even more languages.

Kontakt kann zu uns per Mail an europas-atomerbe ÄTT greenkids.de^[2] oder telefonisch unter +49 391-72 72 657 aufgenommen werden. Eine Wiki-Internetseite für das Projekt entsteht unter http://greenkids.de/europas-atomerbe.

Langfristig soll diese Internetseite und die Kommunikation mindestens zweisprachig (deutsch/englisch), nach Möglichkeit auch darüber hinaus gestaltet werden.

"Europe's Nuclear Heritage" is a (research) project that is concerned with the usage of nuclear power and especially the debates on final repositories in Europe. Regarding these topics it works on networking between groups in different countries. Within this framework or associated to it the following activities took place:

"Europas Atomerbe" ist ein (Forschungs)-Projekt, das sich mit der Atomenergienutzung und speziell den Endlagerdebatten in Europa beschäftigt und hierzu auch eine Vernetzung verschiedener Gruppen in verschiedenen Ländern anstrebt. In diesem oder assoziertem Rahmen gab es bisher folgende Aktivitäten:

The current idea for the next possible project would be to visit the French exploration site in Bure combined with a meeting of local activists to also get a critical viewpoint.


Die derzeitige Idee für das nächste mögliche Projekt wäre eine Besichtigung des französischen 'Felslabors' in Bure (Wikipedia Artikel, Französischer Wikipedia Artikel) kombiniert mit einem Treffen mit dortigen Aktivisten um auch einen kritischen Standpunkt mitzubekommen.

An excursion during February 2007 to visit the finnish nuclear power plant in Olkiluoto at whose site the final repository for highly radioactive waste is being planned.


Bei einer Exkursion im Februar 2007 ging es zur Besichtigung des finnischen Atomkraftwerks (AKW) Olkiluoto, an dessen Standort das dortige Endlager für hochradioaktiven Atommüll geplant ist. Beteiligt euch unter den untenstehenden Punkten an der Auswertung der Fahrt!

In November 2006 a visit of the mine for final repository exploration at Gorleben was organised by the project. This included a visit of the underground facilities.

After this visit of the underground facilities and a lecture from the operating enterprise of the plant, we met Lilo Wollny, an old lady from the Gorleben resistance. She talked about the beginning of the protests and gave an overview of the security problems at the Gorleben nuclear waste disposal site.

Im November 2006 wurde im Rahmen des Projektes eine Besichtigung des Endlager-"Erkundungsbergwerks" im Gorlebener Salzstock organisiert. Diese enthielt auch eine Besichtigung unter Tage.

Nach der Führung durch den Gorlebener Salzstock und einem Vortrag der Betreiberfirma DBE trafen wir uns mit Lilo Wollny, einer alten Dame aus dem Gorlebener Widerstand. Sie erzählte uns von den Anfängen der Proteste und gab einen kleinen Einblick in die Sicherheitsbedenken gegen den Gorlebener Endlagerstandort.

An exhibition on the history of Germany's final repository for low and medium level radioactive waste at Morsleben, which is also available in english, is en route in different towns.

Eine Ausstellung zur Geschichte des deutschen Endlagers für niedrig- und mittelradioaktiven Atommüll Morsleben, die auch auf Englisch verfügbar ist, ist unterwegs in verschiedenen Städten.

In the past, a visit of the underground repository in Morsleben has also taken place.

There were several lobby meetings with different politicians to sensitize them for the problems of the Morsleben final repository and to exert pressure on the Federal Office for Radiation Protection to end their reluctance to give out information. These meetings are being continued throughout the year. Additionally, different actions and workshops took place on several occasions, including congresses and other events.


Auch in Morsleben wurde in der Vergangenheit eine Besichtigung im Endlager unter Tage organisiert.

Mit verschiedenen Politikern gab es 2006 Lobbygespräche, um für die Problematik um das Endlager Morsleben zu sensibilieren und um Druck auszuüben, damit die Informationsverweigerung des Bundesamtes für Strahlenschutzes ein Ende hat. Auch in diesem Jahr werden diese Gespräche fortgesetzt. Darüberhinaus fanden immer wieder Informationsveranstaltungen und Workshops in verschiedenen Orten und bei Kongressen und anderen Veranstaltungen statt.

You can spread the internet addresses http://nuclear-heritage.de.vu and http://nuclear-heritage.net to popularize this website.

Du kannst die Internetadressen http://nuclear-heritage.de.vu und http://nuclear-heritage.net verwenden, um diese Internetseite bekannter zu machen.

This project was financed in public sponsorship by the European Union within the program YOUTH IN ACTION. The content of this project does not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the European Union or of the national agency "JUGEND für Europa" and they do not assume any liability.

Dieses Projekt wurde mit Unterstützung der Europäischen Union durch das Programm JUGEND IN AKTION finanziert. Der Inhalt dieses Projektes gibt nicht notwendigerweise den Standpunkt der Europäischen Union oder der Nationalagentur JUGEND für Europa wieder und sie übernehmen dafür keine Haftung.