top cx logo
cx logo
Explorearrow down
search icon

Greenpeace pilot 'bombs' nuke plant

Activist arrested after dropping smokebomb on reactor building then landing inside Bugey plant near Lyon

A GREENPEACE activist has been arrested after flying over the nuclear power station at Bugey, 35km east of Lyon, and dropping smokebombs on one of the reactor buildings.

Flying a microlight, the pilot managed to land inside the site itself early this morning as Greenpeace drew attention to what it called France's failure to act against the risks of air attack or accident. The pilot and another person outside the plant were arrested.

Group spokesman Sophia Majnoni said a plane crash had not been taken into account in any part of the planning or building of any of the country's 58 nuclear reactors. She said Bugey was just one of 34 reactors where the only protection was a concrete wall lined with metal.

Power station operator EDF said that "at no time was security put at risk". It added that "security measures that were reinforced at the end of 2011 allowed the detection of the inturder and immediate arrest".

Last December 11 activists managed to get into the power station sites at Nogent-sur-Seine (Aube) and Cruas-Meysse (Ardèche). Interior Minister Claude Guéant said at the time that the "passive defences, such as fences and ditches" of France's sites would be reinforced.

Greenpeace also today published film taken during a November 2011 flight over the La Hague nuclear treatment plant in Cotentin, Normandy, and said that the site held 10,000 tonnes of nuclear combustible material - the equivalent of the cores of 130 nuclear reactors.

It was released along with a report by a British engineer on the vulnerability of French power plants. The report, in English, can be read on the Greenpeace site at www.greenpeace.org

Resident or second-home owner in France?
Benefit from our daily digest of headlines and how-to's to help you make the most of life in France
By joining the newsletter, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
See more popular articles
The Connexion Help Guides
featured helpguide
Healthcare in France*
Featured Help Guide
- Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors.
Get news, views and information from France