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Stresstests voor kerncentrales

sEuropa zal een 'stresstest' uitvoeren voor alle kerncentrales in de EU. Dit is een belangrijke eerste stap: "Hoe veilig zijn de 143 kernreactors in de EU? De gevaarlijkste kerncentrales in Europa moeten direct gesloten worden. Waarom zouden we afhankelijk blijven van deze risicovolle manier van energieproductie, terwijl er alternatieven zijn?"

De tests zijn vooralsnog vrijwillig, maar volgens Oettinger zal de publieke druk zo groot zijn dat alle centrales aan bod zullen komen. Ook België kondigt aan al zijn centrales aan de stresstest te onderwerpen alvorens de discussie over het langer openhouden te voeren.

De Europese Groenen willen dat alle bestaande kerncentrales in Europa uitgefaseerd worden en er een halt wordt geroepen aan de bouw van nieuwe kerncentrales. "Andere landen zoals Duitsland en Zwitserland trekken hun lessen door bijvoorbeeld de plannen voor nieuw te bouwen centrales voorlopig stop te zetten."

*** PERSBERICHT VAN DE GROENE FRACTIE IN HET EP ***

Nuclear stress tests must not be used as an excuse to delay necessary urgent action


The European Commission yesterday evening outlined the concept of voluntary stress tests for nuclear reactors in Europe, in response to the unfolding nuclear disaster in Japan. The Greens are concerned about the long delay foreseen for devising and implementing these tests - with no tests foreseen to be commenced for 6 months at the earliest. The group believes there is already sufficient information to make decisions on shutting the most dangerous reactors immediately, as a first step to a coordinated phase-out of nuclear power across Europe. Commenting on the stress tests, Greens/EFA co-president Rebecca Harms said:

"While EU energy commissioner Oettinger has moved to respond to concerns about nuclear safety in Europe, we are concerned that the vague concept of voluntary stress tests, outlined yesterday, does not address the urgency of the situation, following the tragic disaster in Japan. All nuclear reactors should clearly be subjected to rigorous, independent stress tests that assess safety. It is however unclear how cumulative emergencies and multiple failures can be assessed in such a procedure or how human failure can be factored in.

"These stress tests must not be used as an excuse to delay decisions on shutting down the most dangerous reactors, where we already know the risk is not acceptable. We simply cannot afford to wait until the end of the year to define and implement stress tests for the most dangerous reactors. We already have enough information to act and urgent priority must be given to shutting down reactors constructed before 1980, in areas of seismic activity, without secondary containment or 'boiling water' reactors, for which the danger is greatest."

Green energy spokesperson Claude Turmes added:

"There is also a need to halt all new reactors that are being planned or are under construction. The Commission should immediately revise its decision to approve the construction of the nuclear reactor in Belene, Bulgaria as it would be located in an area of seismic activity and at risk of earthquakes.

"Clearly, this must be just a first step as part of a coordinated European phase-out of nuclear. Starting now and planning for the consequences will ensure a total phase out can be completed as early as possible. We need swift and decisive action and the European Commission must work with EU member states to coordinate this. The forthcoming EU energy roadmap for 2050, to be presented by the Commission, should factor in this nuclear phase out."

GroenDe enige partij die sociaal én milieuvriendelijk is.

www.groen.be

De Groenen/EVAGroenen en Europese Vrije Alliantie in het Europees Parlement.

www.greens-efa.eu

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