The construction of the proposed 2000MW nuclear plant at Belene
will:
- Commit the local people of Belena, Bulgaria and the wider
Central European Region to 40 years of continuing radioactive
threat.
- Add nothing to the Bulgaria's long term energy security as the
country already produces more power than it uses.
- Increase the likelihood of a serious nuclear accident since
thereactor is due to be built close to a geological fault line
prone tosignificant seismic activity.
- Contaminate the local environment, polluting the soil, the
underground water supply and the Danube river.
- Cost the people of Bulgaria over US$3bn.
- Deflect investment away from the real solution to the
challengesof both climate change and energy security - renewable
energy andenergy efficiency.
- Create a target for possible terrorist strikes.
- Radioactive contamination will affect key local industries like
wine-making, agriculture and fishing in the region.
- Undermine the very significant potential for tourism in the
area.
- Leave the people of Bulgaria with a legacy of radioactive waste
-for which no solution exists - that will last for tens of
thousands ofyears.
The Real Energy Solution for Bulgaria:
Bulgaria has one of the best wind resources on Central Europe.
TheEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development concluded that
thepracticable renewable potential by 2012 from wind, biomass and
hydroamounts to around 8GW, which represents about two thirds of
Bulgaria'scurrent installed electricity capacity.
Bulgaria wastes more energy than any other European country. It
needsnine times more energy to produce a unit of economic output
than any ofthe 15 Western European countries. Bringing this in line
with theEuropean average by improving the efficiency of the
energyinfrastructure, such as properly insulating buildings and
efficientelectrical appliances, would be a cheaper, faster and
safer way toensure a secure energy supply for Bulgaria than
building a nuclearpower station
Small scale but numerous renewable energy developments from a
varietyof different sources would provide a flexible, indigenous,
diverse andtherefore secure energy supply
Renewable energy creates jobs. A recent assessment by the EU
into thepotential for job creation from renewables in Bulgaria
estimated thatanywhere from 116,000 to 240,000 jobs could be
created.
The dark side
Bulgaria is on the brink of becoming a full member of the
EuropeanUnion. As such, it needs to act as a responsible European
stateby stopping acts ofintimidation and harassment against
supporters of renewable energy thatengage in peaceful protest
against the threat of nuclear power.
Albena Simeonova is a well-known environmental campaigner in
Bulgaria.She founded the Bulgarian Green Party, has won various
internationalprizes for her contribution to environmental
protection and campaignedagainst the prospect of Belene nuclear
power station since the late1980's.
Her opposition to Belene has always set her against powerful
interestsin Bulgaria, but pressure from her opponents has recently
turned in tocompletely unacceptable intimidation, threats of
violence, harassmentof her workers and even an attempt on her
life.
Read more about the
recent events surrounding Albena Simeonova.
Those responsible for carrying out this sustained campaign
ofintimidation must be brought to account by the Bulgarian
authorities.
We need your help in putting pressure on the Bulgarian Government tomake sure this happens.