On the agenda of the summit there is a discussion about the
climate change and large-scale development of the nuclear energy as
the method to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Still there is no
nuclear solution to the climate change problem.
The reckless scheme of Rosatom provides for exploitation of
floating NPPs in different regions, including South East Asia
(SEA). Today in SEA there are tens of terrorist organizations that
have their own ships, equipment and trained underwater saboteurs.
Combined with traditional for the region sea piracy, this creates a
risk of terrorist acts at floating NPPs.
Today Greenpeace sent an official letter to the heads of the
Federal Security Service of Russia with a request to evaluate the
project on construction and exploitation of floating NPPs in South
East Asia from the point of view of terrorist threat to our
country.
FNPPs are fuelled with weapons uranium (40% of uranium-235) and,
according to the project, there will be 960 kg of it at a plant.
Exploitation of FNPPs in the SEA countries without strong security
measures threatens the whole region. The project provides for no
special security system, for example, an armed escort of Russian
navy for the whole period of exploitation.
There can be three possible scenarios of terrorist acts:
- Destructing the containment of an FNPP and using nuclear
materials from the plant as a "dirty bomb" for contaminating the
locality.
- Robbing a FNPP in order to withdraw weapons uranium. The
further route of the radioactive materials is hardly possible to
tract. They can be transformed into a nuclear warhead, both in
Russia and any other country of the world.
- Robbing a FNPP to obtain radioactive materials to produce a
"dirty bomb".
At present Rosatom is ready to start construction of FNPPs to
sell them later to the SEA countries. Deals will be carried out on
leasing conditions without further passing the FNPP to the new
owner.
The appropriate license was issued by the RF Gosatomnadzor in
December 2002. Tailand and Indonesia show their interest in FNPPs.
Negotiations about funding are being held with China. In October
2003 Rosatom signed a protocol on cooperation with South Korea.
"Rosatom's policy conflicts the position of the country's
leaders on combating terrorism. These actions of the nuclear lobby
threaten the future of the country. Greenpeace calls to reject the
project on construction of floating NPPs and to focus on
development of renewable energy sources and energy saving", said
Vladimir Chouprov, Greenpeace Russia Energy Unit Coordinator. "It
is better invest in solar and wind energy rather than produce time
bombs".
For further information please contact Greenpeace
Russia:257-41-16/18/24, 8-903-129-46-51 (mob.) - Vladimir
Chouprov
Additional information:
So called "dirty bomb" contains usual explosives with admixture
of radioactive materials. Damaging effect of such an explosive is
achieved due to dissemination of radioactive dust over quite a big
area.
Nobody so far has estimated the consequences of the tsunami's
impact on floating NPPs. As experience shows, there is almost no
system of warning about tsunami in the region. It is difficult to
tell what will happen if 1/50 of the Chermobyl emission is brought
to the coast by a huge wave.
The floating NPP project is estimated in 180 million dollars -
which is much more expensive than usual NPPs if calculated in a
kilowatt of established capacity. The cost of the armed security
guard is not included in the estimation.
Already today economic and technical potential of renewable
energy sources amounts to 30% of the total volume Russia consumes
now. The energy saving potential is 40%, which means that every
second ton of oil, every second cubic meter of gas is used
idle.