Our first thoughts are for the family of the worker who died and those who have been injured at the Marcoule nuclear facility in France today.
The French government must ensure local people are kept fully up to date with the situation and the potential radioactive releases.
Information is still emerging and we do not know the cause of the explosion, but it serves as yet another tragic reminder of the dangers of nuclear power and the urgent need for governments to follow the lead taken by Germany in phasing it out.
It should be noted that this installations on the Marcoule site has not been included in the stress tests of nuclear facilities requested by the French government, nor in the last inspections by the Nuclear Safety Authority.
Earlier today, Greenpeace presented an Energy Revolution scenario for Japan that shows how the country can abandon nuclear reactors already in 2012, while meeting its ambitious carbon reduction targets.
France, like Japan and Germany needs to make a choice between dirty and risky energy technologies, and modern renewable energy and efficiency that will deliver reliable and affordable energy to meet worlds' needs.
For more information, contact Axel Renaudion, Greenpeace France Communications, + 33 6 88 88 18 27
Archive photo of Marcoule: © Greenpeace/Pierre Gleizes