CAMPAIGNERS' HINKLEY SHOCK

Western Daily Press, 4 May 2007

Anti-nuclear campaigners have condemned a new bill of health for Hinkley Point power station as "outrageous". The Western Daily Press revealed on Wednesday how the plant has been passed a safety review valid until 2017, providing a programme of works is carried out.

This has opened the door to the power station having a life extension beyond its scheduled closing date of 2011, although owners British Energy have not yet decided whether to apply for an extension.

Yesterday, pressure group Stop Hinkley, which aims to get the site shut down, said it was astonished at the safety review being passed.

Jim Duffy, spokesman for Stop Hinkley said: "The regulators have contradicted their own safety predictions which said that most reactor core bricks would have cracked during this review period, including some that will be cleaved in half.

"It's outrageous to grant a license to a reactor in this condition."

British Energy was yesterday unavailable for comment.

http://www.westpress.co.uk