02/21 Earthquake Danger at Slovenian N.Plant

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

----------
Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
----------
                    ************************
                    GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
                    ************************
     
>> EARTHQUAKE DANGER AT SLOVENIAN NUCLEAR PLANT KRSKO
 
10 YEARS AFTER CHERNOBYL: REFERENDUM TO SHUT DOWN UNSAFE 
REACTOR AT KRSKO
 
Ljubljana/Graz, February 21, 1996 (GP) The Slovenian Nuclear
Power Plant Krsko is not designed for stronger earthquake shocks.
A new Greenpeace report reveals that the danger of earthquakes
for the site of the NPP Krsko has been underestimated against
better knowledge: the project sponsors of the plant used
incorrect data, neglected important historical information on
previous earthquakes, erased faults from the tectonic maps and
ignored significant data from recent seismological research. 
 
The Greenpeace-report "Earthquake threats to the NPP Krsko"
documents that planning and construction of the plant base on
incorrect assumptions about the seismic conditions of the 
region. The plant is not designed for earthquakes of a size that
already happened in the region around Krsko at earlier dates: in
1640 for example the region witnessed its largest earthquake with
an intensity of 9 on the MSK-scala (Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik). 
 
The plant is designed for earthquakes in the magnitude of 5,8 (on
Richter-scala); in 1976 two earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 (on
Richter-scala) took place. Even the Slovenian Nuclear Safety
Agency (RJUV) acknowledges that the seismic conditions around
Krsko have not been sufficiently researched yet.
 
"For safety reasons we therefore demand an immediate shutdown of
Krsko", concluded geologist and nuclear expert Heinz 
Hoegelsberger of Greenpeace. "As a minimum first step the 
seismic threat to the region has to be thoroughly researched."  
With the aid of computer simulation, Antonia Wenisch of the
Austrian Ecology Institute calculated the potential 
consequences of a severe accident in krsko. "Assuming wind from
an eastern direction - quite common for the region of Krsko - the
city of Ljubljana would suffer from massive radioactive
contamination and would have to be evacuated within a few 
hours," said Wenisch. "The amount of radiation would be around
2.560 kilobecquerel/m2 - this is nearly twice as much as the
amount at which areas in Ukraine, Russia and Belorussia were
evacuated after the Chernobyl-accident (at a level of 1.500
kbc/m2). The Slovenian economy and the health of the Slovenian
population would suffer dramatically." In Gomel in Belorussia for
example the cancer rate of children increased to 200 times the
international average.
 

Greenpeace currently supports Slovenian environmentalists in
organising a referendum for the shutdown of Krsko. The 
referendum is planned to take place in summer 1996. "Ten years
after the Chernobyl-catastrophe we witness the unique chance that
a plant already in operation stands a chance of being shut down
by a vote of the people!"
 
for further information:
Heinz Hoegelsberger, Florian Faber, Greenpeace Austria
Tel: ++43-1-7130031-21 or ++43-663-087570 (mobile phone)
Albin Keuc, Greenpeace contact in Slovenia
Tel: ++386-609-629133, Fax: ++386-61-572468
 
 
notes to editors:
1. The Greenpeace-reports "Earthquake Threats to the NPP Krsko" 
and "Calculation of the Consequences of an Accident in the   NPP
Krsko" are available at GP Austria (in German and 
  Slovenian language only)
2. A previously published Greenpeace-report (Nov. 1995) - "The  
Nuclear Power Plant Krsko and Possible Alternatives. A 
Sketch for a Phase Out of Nuclear Energy" - shows that a   shut
down of Krsko would be feasible without endangering the  
electricity supply in Slovenia.
3. Krsko is situated in Slovenia, 80 km south-east of Ljubljana 
and 40 km north-west of Zagreb in Croatia. The plant is a  
Pressurized Water reactor (PWR) of US-Westinghouse design   with
632 MW, and it operates since 1983. the plant is 
jointly owned by Slovenia and Croatia.
4. Due to leaks in the steam generators, these have to be 
exchanged during 1996 and 1997 - an investment of app. 140  
million US-$. US-reports show that shutting down the plant   and
replacing it with renewable energy sources is a 
significantly cheaper option. 

----------