Nuclear plant closure ‘law’ denounced as PR stunt

The law preparing the closure of France’s oldest nuclear power station, at Fessenheim in Alsace, has been published – but was almost immediately denounced as a pre-election publicity stunt.

Ecology Minister Ségolène Royal welcomed the publication of the decree in the Journal Officiel saying: “It’s said, it’s done.”

The decree prepares the way for the closure of the plant, which has been in service since 1978. There have been increased safety fears, not just due to its age but as it is sited in a seismic zone and because it is at risk of flooding from the Rhine.

Only 1.5km from the border with Germany, local authorities both there and in Switzerland (40km away) have called for it to be closed.

President Hollande said in his election campaign that he would close the plant and said after winning that he would close it in 2017.

However, the decree specifies that the plant will only close after the EPR nuclear station at Flamanville in Manche, Normandy, comes online and it has been hit by continuing problems. Ms Royal said it would close between 2018 and 2020.

Fessenheim’s mayor said the decree had no legal basis and would be annulled while unions from the plant owners, EDF, said it was just a pre-election PR campaign but one that was damaging for the 2,000 direct and indirect jobs in the area.