Greenpeace today criticised the European Commission's
willingness to fund, through Euratom loans, the completion of a
Chernobyl-type reactor in Russia as revealed in a Commission paper
issued earlier this month in response to questions raised at the
meeting of Financial Counsellors of Permanent Representations held
on December 10th 2002. (1)
The Commission's paper states that there are ongoing discussions
to assess the possibility of granting Euratom loans to enable
completion of six partly built reactors in Russia. One of these
reactors is the same type as the one involved in the 1986 Chernobyl
accident.
"This is absolute madness," said Greenpeace campaigner John
Bowler. "In the past the Commission itself has led the effort to
have Chernobyl-type reactors closed and has stated on numerous
occasions that this reactor-type, from a safety point of view, is
not upgradable. The Commission has shown its hand now: Euratom
loans and the proposed raising of the loans ceiling is not for
safety it is for the expansion of nuclear power in eastern Europe.
The Commission's credibility on nuclear safety has been completely
destroyed."
Greenpeace opposes the Commission's proposal because the money
will be used to subsidise a dying nuclear industry and will do
nothing to prevent nuclear accidents. Contrary to what the
Commission claims, the Euratom loans are about promoting nuclear
power and has little if anything to do with nuclear safety.
"The Commission is out of control. It is rushing headlong to
support the further development of the nuclear industry and this is
contrary to the wishes of the majority of Member States and
European citizens. Today's energy and environment conscious Europe
is looking to clean renewable energy sources and not to an
outdated, dangerous and dying nuclear industry," concluded Mr.
Bowler.
The paper was produced to give more information to the Member
States while they consider a Commission proposal to add 2 billion
Euro to the Euratom loan facility. If approved by Member States,
any decisions on the actual loans to be granted rests solely with
the European Commission. Consequently, Member States must reject
the proposed increase if they wish to stop additional Chernobyl
style reactors from becoming operational.
Greenpeace is calling for EU governments to reject the
Commission's proposal because if the funds are approved, nuclear
risks will increase. More reactors, whose designs date back to the
1980s, will be completed and will operate for many years simply to
maintain jobs in a decaying industry.
Notes: (1). The paper also shows that the Commission has been misleading in seeking an increase to the Euratom loan ceiling. In calculating the value of Euratom transactions the Commission has included approximately Euro 585 million allocated for the Khmelnitsky 2 and Rovno 4 reactors in Ukraine. A final decision on this loan has never been made and no transaction has taken place. A 1990 Council Decision states that when the value of transactions effected reaches EU 3800 million that the Commission should inform the Council. A new loan ceiling would then be discussed. Transactions to date, however, fall short of this figure and are in fact closer to Euro 3080 million. Therefore the current proposal to increase the Euratom loan ceiling, if not withdrawn, should be rejected by Council.A Briefing paper, prepared by European Energy consultant Antony Froggatt available at www.eu-energy.com