Bradwell opponents hand in 10,000-signature petition to energy minister

Members of BANNG in Whitehall to hand in their petition

Flotilla against new Bradwell NPP, Essex

From East Anglia Daily Times website:
http://tinyurl.com/EADTBradwell10Aug09

'Vigil' protest against N-plant

ELLIOT FURNISS

Last updated: 10/08/2009 05:50:00

MEMBERS of a campaign group took to the water in a flotilla to protest about plans to build a nuclear power station on the Essex coast.

The Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group, known as BANNG, organised the event to raise the profile of its campaign against plans to build a new power station close to the site of the old Bradwell reactor, which is currently being decommissioned.

Andy Blowers, BANNG's chairman, said the two-hour sailing “vigil” had been a big success, with 16 boats joining the fleet and dozens of people signing the group's petition.

The boats set sail from Mersea Island - just a short distance across the Blackwater estuary from the power station sites - on Sunday lunchtime, making their way along the shore before heading over to Bradwell itself.

Mr Blowers said the day had proved a big success and helped draw attention to the group's campaign.

He said: “I think we have stirred up public opinion but we are not deliberately alarmist.

“We were drawing attention to the estuary as a beautiful, tranquil place. Bradwell is a pretty awful site for a new nuclear power station. What we're trying to do is to draw public attention to the various elements of the damage that will be caused.”

While many people packed on to the boats making up the flotilla, others were on the beaches at both Mersea Island and Bradwell, collecting signatures for the petition and picnicking.

EDF Energy owns land next to the old Bradwell site, currently being decommissioned by Magnox, and is assessing it for potential new nuclear development.

A spokesman said: “EDF Energy strongly believes that nuclear has a vital role in maintaining UK electricity supplies as a low-carbon generator now and in the future.

“We also believe that Bradwell is one of a number of potential sites across the UK where new nuclear power stations could be built, but only after they have been thoroughly examined through the planning process.

“A major part of this process will include extensive public consultation. Our company respects the right of people to protest in a peaceful and lawful manner.”

Bradwell was built on the edge of a former Second World War airfield and began generating power in 1962 but operations ceased in 2002. Decommissioning of the old site is currently being carried out and will take many more years to complete.

The Government has decided that nuclear energy should have a role to play in the future and Bradwell is one of the sites nominated for a new build power station.

Copyright © 2009 Archant Regional Ltd


From Gazette website (Colchester and north Essex):
http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/4536952.Protest_on_the_water

Protest on the water

11:30am Monday 10th August 2009

CAMPAIGNERS battling plans for a new nuclear power station at Bradwell sailed from West Mersea in a peaceful protest yesterday.

A flotilla of boats took to the Blackwater Estuary for the two-hour vigil.

They displayed banners opposing proposals for a new nuclear facility on the Blackwater shoreline.

A demonstration was also held on the beach at Mersea.

The vigil was organized by the Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group.

Spokesman Varrie Blowers said: “We oppose building a new nuclear power station and a highly radioactive waste store at Bradwell.

“This is a departure to what happened there in the past. The waste from the old station was taken up to Sellafield, but waste from the new station has to be stored on site for at least 100 years.”

© Copyright 2001-2009 Newsquest Media Group


See also previous blog entry

Flotilla / vigil against nuclear power, Bradwell, Essex - Sunday 9 August

From Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (BANNG):
http://www.banng.org.uk/page_1246466074069.html

Sunday, 9th August 2009 - from 14.00 to 16.00 hrs
join a peaceful summer vigil in the Blackwater Estuary

The future of the Blackwater Estuary should concern everyone. Any despoiling of this unique facility will take away the opportunity for its enjoyment for many generations to come.

This does not apply just to “the waterfolk”, but to all who enjoy outdoor pursuits and activities around the Estuary, such as local residents, fishermen, birdwatchers, ramblers and walkers, wildfowlers and for those who just like the “open and peaceful space of the Estuary”.

If we are not vigilant, the Estuary, as we like it, could be irretrievably ruined for the future.

The intention is to attract recreational and commercial users of the estuary and its surroundings to join a PEACEFUL VIGIL at Bradwell in protest against the development of a proposed new nuclear power station (possibly more than one) and the associated high level radioactive waste dump.

Watercraft -

anchor/float about off the beach to include yachts, motorboats, dinghies, kayaks canoes and “whatever” between 14.00 and 16.00 hrs

Show your participation by displaying flags/banners, if afloat - from the rigging – make these up out of old bedsheets or something similar. Just display anything to show your protest!

Walkers, birdwatchers and beachcombers -

make it an outing – bring family and friends and enjoy a picnic or barbecue on the beach in front of the old station.

If you unable to get afloat or visit Bradwell, a group will be meeting for a picnic from 1.30 onwards on West Mersea beach, close to St Peter's Steps, and just a short walk down Coast Road from West Mersea Church. - Don't forget to bring a sunshade if it's a sunny day, especially if you are bringing any children!

DIRECTIONS: If coming by rail and/or bus, the two-hourly West Mersea bus 67 leaves the North Station bus stop from 8.10am onwards on the south side of the bridge. So for example if you get the one which leaves North Station at 12.10pm, Colchester High Street at about 12.15pm, and the bus station at 12.20pm it gets to Mersea near the church at 12.50pm.

Don't forget there are special bargain bus fares on Sundays. The bus returns at 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm and 11pm so you can make a day of it. Cut your carbon footprint and leave your car at home for a change perhaps if you would normally travel by car???

There is free carparking behind the library if there are any spaces, or you can park along various roads including St Peter's Road - go past the church and it's to the right off Coast Road.


We want to highlight:

* Environmental damage to the Estuary foreshore, wildlife, pleasure and commercial fishing and local oyster industries

* Potential restriction on access for recreational use to the Estuary and its foreshore

* Long term on site storage of highly radioactive waste

* Increased health risks to surrounding population resulting from toxic waste and from the lack of long term evacuation plans for the surrounding areas

* Negative Visual impact of the new facility and the retention of the former station

Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group (BANNG)
Homepage: http://www.banng.org.uk

See also Colchester and north Essex Gazzette:

http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/4516003.Anti_nuclear_power_plant_demo_goes_afloat/

Bradwell Power Station demo on the water

11:00am Wednesday 29th July 2009

By Gareth Palmer »

ANTI-nuclear protesters plan to take to the water to object to proposals for a new power station at Bradwell.

The Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group is calling on sailors and fishermen to join them for the protest, on August 9.

Boats will drop anchor at 2pm in the Blackwater Estuary, off the old power station, for a two-hour demonstration.

There will also be gatherings at Monkey Beach, West Mersea and on the beach at Bradwell.

Varrie Blowers, the group’s secretary, said the aim of the protest was to highlight the recreational and commercial uses of the estuary and the way a new power station might affect them.

She said: “It is not clear at the moment what the Government wants from nuclear power.

“We are keen to express our opposition in any way we can. We want boats to display flags and banners from their rigging to make their protest.

“But we also want families to use the beaches, along with birdwatchers and walkers.

“Huge numbers of people would be affected by any new nuclear development, particularly on Mersea, which is only just across the river.”

A recent Government document listed Bradwell as a potential site for one of a new generation of nuclear power stations.

Land next to the former power station has already been bought up by French power firm EDF Energy.

l For more information, visit www.banng.org.uk or call Varrie Blowers on 07932 644482.

“Radioactive Royals” Welcome Nuclear Greenwash Brigade to the Palace

Anti-nuclear power campaigners dressed as “Radioactive Royals and nuclear guards” protested in front of Buckingham Palace on Thursday, 5 February as nuclear industry bigwigs were wined and dined by the Duke of York, Prince Andrew.

Hundreds of tourists, visiting the Palace for the Changing of the Guard, were amused to see “nuclear guards” taking their place at the gates. They held up a large banner reading “Nuclear Power is Not the Answer to Climate Chaos!” and a placard reading “Royal Nuclear Family? No Thanks!”, drawing attention to the fact that Prince Andrew, the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, was hosting a gala lunch at the Palace for the nuclear industry, presumably to plot how best to promote their toxic greenwash agenda at home and abroad. [see note 1]

The action was called by a new UK-based network, Nuclear People Power, which aims to promote nonviolent direct action and visible campaigning to prevent the construction of a new generation of nuclear reactors in the UK and globally. Joining the protest were representatives from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Stop Hinkley / Shut Oldbury, Shut Down Sizewell and a woman from the Bradwell area. Among the sites earmarked for new nuclear build are Hinkley Point in Somerset, Oldbury in Gloucestershire, Sizewell in Suffolk and Bradwell in Essex, as well as Sellafield in Cumbria, Wylfa in north Wales and Dungeness in Kent.

Daniel Viesnik, from Nuclear People Power said, “Nuclear power is a huge and dangerous distraction from the genuine solutions needed to prevent a global climate catastrophe whilst providing for the future energy requirements of the UK and the world in a safe, sustainable and affordable way. Instead of wasting billions of pounds building new nuclear white elephants, generating ever increasing quantities of extremely hazardous radioactive waste that we can’t safely deal with and increasing the risk of global proliferation of nuclear weapons; energy companies and governments alike, the British Government included, should massively invest in genuine green alternatives, such as wind, solar and wave, decentralised energy and energy efficiency and conservation.”

He added, “The royal family would do well to distance itself from the nuclear industry, with its long history of cover-ups, cronyism and self-interest, and lack of regard for health, safety, indigenous rights and the environment.”

Mell Harrison, from CND Eastern Region, Shut Down Sizewell and Nuclear People Power said, "What's needed is not lunch at the palace with a prince but accountability, transparency and the truth about nuclear power and the nuclear industry. Why, for example, isn’t the public being told that waste from new [EPR] reactors will be up to seven times more hazardous than that produced by existing ones? [see notes 2 & 3]. We still don't know how to deal with the current nuclear waste, let alone even more hazardous material."

She went on, “I live near the Sizewell nuclear power plant in Suffolk, where two new reactors are being considered. With significant costal erosion on this stretch of the coastline and already over ten years’ worth of spent nuclear fuel rods in storage at the site, any new nuclear reactors here would be nothing less than a health and safety nightmare. Nuclear power is not the answer to climate chaos: it is the pathway to a radioactive future."

She added, “Given Prince Charles’s concern for environmental issues, it would be interesting to hear the conversations between him and his younger brother [Prince Andrew] on this.”

The Observer newspaper reported that Prince Charles has recently appointed Benet Northcote as his deputy personal secretary. Northcote was previously employed by Greenpeace, where he directed campaigns against nuclear power. [see note 1]

EDF Energy, the 85% French state-owned energy giant which employs Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s younger brother Andrew Brown as its UK media chief, plans to build at least four controversial new French-designed EPR nuclear reactors in the UK, starting with two at Hinkley Point in Somerset and two at Sizewell in Suffolk. The EPR, or European Pressurised Reactor / Evolutionary Power Reactor is a collaboration between 90% French state-owned multi-national Areva and German firm Siemens. It has been plagued by safety problems, multi-billion pound / euro cost overruns and delays running into years during the construction of the first two prototypes, at Olkiluoto in Finland and Flamanville in Normandy, France. To date, not a single EPR has been completed anywhere on the planet, yet the technology is being aggressively peddled by President Nicolas Sarkozy of France to Britain and the rest of the world.

Jim Duffy, Stop Hinkley co-ordinator said, "People living near nuclear power stations have a nagging concern that they run a higher health risk from radioactive discharges or from a major accident. It's galling to see the royal family promoting this dirty industry which will blight West Somerset and leave a toxic legacy for many thousands of years."

"Prince Andrew has made a misjudgement in promoting nuclear power, now linking the Royal family with a controversial industry. Local communities are divided on the issue with many concerned about the long-term environmental and health consequences of reviving this previously moribund technology. It's poor judgement for the Royals to side with the industry in this debate."

Dozens of police officers, including a Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) unit were on hand to greet the small group of protesters as they arrived at Green Park tube station, despite the fact that the demonstration had only been advertised by e-mail. Four out of the six demonstrators had their person and belongings searched under the pretext that they might be intending to commit criminal damage, in scenes reminiscent of last summer’s Climate Camp, near Kingsnorth coal power station in Kent. Nothing of suspicion was found, other than a small pair of scissors which had been used to prepare flyers for the demonstration.

Duffy commented, "We were closely shepherded by obviously nervous police, led by a Chief Inspector, who were waiting for us in numbers. Their searches of several campaigners evidently showed that their fear of terrorism is very much alive. But then building terrorist targets in the shape of nuclear power stations must surely be a much bigger fear."

Nuclear People Power

Notes:

1. Andrew courts nuclear meltdown at the Palace – Oliver Marre, The Observer, Sunday, 11 January 2009
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2009/jan/11/3

2. Planned nuclear reactors will produce seven times more hazardous waste - Greenpeace UK Press Release - Monday, 2 February 2009
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/press-releases/planned-nuclear-reactors-will-produce-seven-times-more-hazardous-waste-20090202

3. New nuclear plants will produce far more radiation – Geoffrey Lean, Independent on Sunday, 8 February 2009
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/new-nuclear-plants-will-produce-far-more-radiation-1604051.html