BERN, SWITZERLAND – A group of environmental organizations that includes WWF called Thursday for Switzerland to close its Beznau nuclear power plant. Switzerland is phasing out nuclear energy but not fast enough, say the groups, who point out that Beznau is now the oldest nuclear power plant in the world, with Oldsbury in England being shut down. They list a number of problems and point out that the company that runs it is planning to increase the earmarked CHF500 million to make it safe, money they bellieve could be better spent shutting it down and moving to safer energy sources.
PARIS, FRANCE – An explosion at the Codolet nuclear power plant in the south of France, near Marcoule, early Monday 12 September killed one person and injured four others. One person is in critical condition.
The French government says there are no leaks or outside contamination from the accident in an area where nuclear waste is treated.
The explosion occurred at a furnace where waste is melted down. The plant treats very slightly and slightly radioactive materials.
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – A huge blast at a Cyprus munitions dump at a naval base on the south of the island at 06:00 (local time) Monday 11 July killed at least 8 people. Some reports say 12 people have died and at least 38 were injured. It is being treated for now as an accident, reports the BBC, whose service to the Middle East was knocked out by major electricity cuts linked to the blast.
The explosion reportedly occurred after two containers of stored arms caught fire. The fire then spread to a nearby power plant, the country’s largest. Reuters reports that doors and windows were blown out at a resort 3km away.
Twelve people have been confirmed dead following the explosion Monday 17 August of Russia’s largest power plant, Sayano-Shushenskaya in Siberia, but the owner of the plant says the 63 missing people are likely to have drowned. The cause of the explosion is not yet known, but turbines were destroyed and power cut to a large area. Late Tuesday the Natural Resources Ministry said transformer oil had spread 80 kilometres along the Yenisei River. The oil, used for insulating and cooling, was released when a transformer exploded. Financial Times, Novosti
