Feature story - March 5, 2012
Greenpeace activists are occupying Premier Jean Charest offices in Quebec City to demand he close Quebec’s only nuclear reactor Gentilly-2 as part of an international day of action in the run-up to the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster on March 11th.
“In light of Fukushima, a majority of Quebecers want Gentilly-2 to be shut down. We’ve occupied Premier Charest’s to assume his responsibility to protect Quebecers from another Fukushima and shut down Gentilly-2,” said Shawn-Patrick Stensil, a nuclear campaigner with Greenpeace.
Four activists have chained themselves together inside Premier Jean Charest’s office in the Honoré Mercier building next to the National Assembly in Quebec City. Outside the National Assembly Greenpeace activists held a 10 metre tall floating banner with photo of Jean Charest thinking about nuclear power reading “On se souvient de Fukushima. Fermez Gentilly-2.”
Fifty-three per cent of Quebecers think Quebec should go “nuclear free” because of Fukushima by shutting down Gentilly-2 at the end of its operational life at the end of 2012, according to a poll released by Greenpeace today. Only thirty four percent of Quebecers believe Gentilly-2 has operated safely and should be rebuilt.
“Quebecers want Jean Charest to follow the lead of countries Germany, Switzerland and Belgium that are abandoning nuclear power because of Fukushima. We ask Premier Charest today to listen to Quebecers and make Quebec nuclear-free,” said Stensil.
Premier Charest has stated he has “favorable prejudice” for spending $2.5 billion to rebuild and extend the life of Gentilly-2, but that he is waiting for a recommendation from Hydro-Quebec on the cost-effectiveness of the life-extension and a report Canada Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)’s on the safety of Canadian reactors post Fukushima before making a decision on the reactor’s future.
Greenpeace released a report last week showing human errors and political influence caused the Fukushima disaster in Japan, which could also an accident at Gentilly-2.
“We shouldn’t trust the assurance of Hydro-Quebec and Canada’s safety regulator that the Gentilly-2 nuclear station is perfectly safe when the world experiences a reactor meltdown about once a decade. Gentilly-2 is an unnecessary risk to Quebec society and Quebecers want it shut down,” said Stensil.