Environmental activists break into French nuclear plant

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS

A group of environmental activists on Tuesday broke into a French nuclear facility, claiming to be highlighting the vulnerability of the country’s reactors to attack.

According to a Greenpeace France statement about 20 people scaled the walls of the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant in the southeastern Ardeche region. It has four reactors and pools used to cool highly radioactive spent fuel rods.

The group set off flares and unfurled banners.

Tuesday’s move was in protest at purported risks posed by nuclear energy and to serve as a warning about "the extreme vulnerability" of security protocols.

France's state-owned energy giant EDF, which operates the plant, confirmed an intrusion had taken place but said the facility’s safety was never in danger. Local gendarmes said 22 people were arrested.

Greenpeace activists carried out a similar action in October at an EDF nuclear plant in Cattenom, near the border with Luxembourg, setting off fireworks at the foot of a spent fuel pool.

The French parliament vowed last week to launch an inquiry into nuclear security.