nuclear-news

France and Britain want to water down new nuclear safety requirements

 France and Britain have been pushing for the tests to be as watered-down as possible. As Europe’s most prolific nuclear power producers, these countries are said to be concerned that the plane-related stress tests could force the closure of plants 

EU nuclear stress tests could prove less strenuous than expected, Deutsche Welle, By Mark Hallam, May 4 Europe is preparing new stress tests designed to put nuclear power stations through their paces. It’s a response primarily to the problems at Japan’s Fukushima plant. But will the tests be as rigorous as promised?

The European Commission is set to present a draft for its new nuclear stress tests next week. While the Fukushima power plant, ravaged by an earthquake and tsunami, teetered on the brink of meltdown in March, European leaders agreed to set the “highest standards” of nuclear safety, with a mandatory round of new stress tests key to achieving this goal…….

focus on natural disasters expressed by Oettinger could be the defining feature of the tests, according to reports in Germany on Wednesday. The Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, citing sources close to the energy commissioner, reports that the stress tests are unlikely to include investigations into more man-made potential problems, most notably if power plants could withstand a plane crash. …

he initial draft for the stress tests – compiled by the Western European Nuclear Regulators’ Association (WENRA), an association of the top nuclear regulatory authorities from EU countries that use nuclear power and Switzerland – does not mention the possibility of plane crashes.

The Süddeutsche reports that it’s possible such tests would be conducted on a voluntary basis, country by country.

Divided we stall

Non-nuclear Austria, green groups and some European Parliament members are insisting that the tests must include provisions against the possibility of terror attacks using planes to target nuclear power plants.

……. France and Britain have been pushing for the tests to be as watered-down as possible. As Europe’s most prolific nuclear power producers, these countries are said to be concerned that the plane-related stress tests could force the closure of plants that would have otherwise been given a clean bill of health…….http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15049881,00.html

May 5, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, safety