Kahdeksan Greenpeacen aktivistia kiipesi Meri-Porin ja Tahkoluodon hiilivoimalaitosten yhteiseen savupiippuun protestoidakseen ydinvoimayhtiöiden suunnitelmia rakentaa lisää hiilivoimaa Suomeen.
Seven Greenpeace activists occupied the chimney of Meri-Pori and Tahkoluoto coal power plants in Finland, Pori. Two largest nuclear companies in Finland, PVO and Fortum, plan to build a total of eight predominantly fossil-fuel fired power plants
They are taking action to expose the climate bluff of the
nuclear industry, carrying banners reading "Stop coal and
nuclear".
The Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant was supposed to help close
down dirty coal and peat fired power plants. Now the owners of the
new reactor, far from cutting down on the use of dirty fuels, are
building new polluting power stations. The unit of two coal power
plants in Pori is the coal-fired power station with biggest
emissions in Finland. The activists intend to carry on with the
protest until Saturday evening.
Greenpeace calls on industrialized countries to commit to
binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and massive
investment in sustainable energy in the decisive UN climate summit
at the end of the year in Copenhagen.
Two largest nuclear companies in Finland, PVO and Fortum, plan
to build a total of eight predominantly fossil-fuel fired power
plants that would spew out a total of four million tons of carbon
dioxide yearly, equivalent to each car owner in Finland driving 25
km more each day. Despite enormous remaining potential for
renewable energy, only a fourth of investments in new generating
capacity go into renewables in Finland, far less than the EU
average.
"When Finnish parliament voted on Olkiluoto 3, the MPs were
promised that a new nuclear reactor would enable us to shut down
coal and peat fired power plants. The promise will not be
fulfilled, but now the same illusion is used to push for even more
nuclear. Even the power industry's own calculations show that they
have no intention to cut down on coal and peat. To the contrary,
they build new, fossil-fired plants", said Greenpeace activist
Lauri Myllyvirta, who is taking part in the action.
"During this decade, renewable energy has made a global
breakthrough. Because of the nuclear decision, Finland has lost ten
years in the development of sustainable energy. Finnish
government's lack of commitment in emission reductions and
misguided belief in nuclear power is leading to the construction
new, dirty power plants. Now's the time to direct investments into
more efficient use of energy and renewables," Kyllönen
continued.
Finland's power industry is not proposing anything near the
needed emission reductions. In their electricity production
scenarios, 2-3 three large nuclear reactors are built after
Olkiluoto 3, but GHG emissions from the power sector remain above
1990 levels even in 2030.
The largest coal investments in the pipeline are PVO's projects
in Kotka and Kristiinankaupunki as well as Fortum's project in
Naantali. In addition, the companies plan even more investments in
peat, which is a domestic Finnish fuel with even higher GHG
emissions than coal.
Reducing waste of energy and investment in renewable energy
sources would enable Finland to rapidly reduce reliance on dirty
coal, peat and nuclear energy. Low energy housing can cut heat
demand by an amount equal to the electric output of two Olkiluoto 3
size nuclear reactors in 20 years. Smart appliances in households,
services and industry can save the equivalent of one reactor in ten
years. Fuel-efficient cars and shift away from private vehicles can
cut oil consumption by the equivalent of one reactor.
Bioenergy can provide three reactors worth of additional energy
in 10 years. Biomass heating and heat pumps can replace almost a
reactor worth of electric and oil-based heating. Wind power can, in
10 years, churn out as much electricity as one reactor.
Greenpeace briefing on nuclear and climate in Finland
Live updates from the protest (coming soon).
Photos later on Friday.
Other contacts:
Climate Campaigner Simo Kyllönen, telephone +358 40 197 2620
Communications Manager Juha Aromaa, telephone +358 50 369 6202
Press Office Satu Pitkänen, telephone +358 50 546 1789 (images and video)
Lauri Myllyvirta (demonstrating activist) 040 847 8702