Seven Greenpeace activists were arrested early Thursday after entering the EPR reactor site in Flamanville (Manche) to denounce “irresponsibility” pro-nuclear presidential candidates, a spokeswoman for the NGO told AFP. The Cherbourg prosecutor’s office confirmed that there had indeed been an intrusion on the site and several arrests, without further details.
Since 5:30 a.m., a dozen activists, some of whom are chained, have also been blocking vehicle access to the two main entrances to the site, where some 2,800 people work, but not the pedestrian entrance, according to an AFP journalist on square.
A van displayed signs “Nuclear: Macron irresponsible” or “+ EPR + fiascos”. Activists from the environmental NGO, some dressed in white overalls, chained themselves to huge metal tripods.
Seven others, including the director general of Greenpeace France Jean-François Julliard, managed to enter the site and unfurl a banner proclaiming “Nuclear: Macron irresponsible” near the reactor under construction, before being arrested, according to Cécile Génot, communications officer at Greenpeace France.
This operation aims to “To denounce the irresponsibility of Emmanuel Macron and the other pro-nuclear candidates who want to build new EPR reactors when we see it with the situation in Ukraine, nuclear power is dangerous”explained Nicolas Nace, in charge of energy transition at Greenpeace France.
EDF is building this EPR, whose construction site is accumulating delays and additional costs, alongside the two reactors in service at its Flamanville power plant. Launched at the end of 2007, the Norman site is eleven years late and its cost has risen to 12.7 billion according to EDF against 3.3 billion announced in 2006. The Court of Auditors has estimated the bill at 19 billion in 2020.
Greenpeace France requested at the start of the year “a moratorium” on the work, “in order to conduct an independent assessment of the viability of EPR nuclear reactors”. This new action by Greenpeace, hostile to nuclear power, comes as President Emmanuel Macron announced on February 10 a program to build six EPR reactors in France by 2035, in addition to the one under construction in Normandy.