Emsland
Citizens’ initiative wants to continue work against nuclear power
The Emsland nuclear power plant. photo
© Sina Schuldt/dpa/Archive
Even after the nuclear power plant in Lingen has been shut down, the local anti-nuclear citizens’ initiative wants to continue its efforts against the nuclear power industry. It is absurd that nuclear fuel rods for Eastern European nuclear power plants are to be manufactured in the fuel element factory in Lingen with Russian participation in the future, said Alexander Vent from the Alliance for Anti-Nuclear Power Opponents in Emsland (AgiEL) on Friday. He expects Lower Saxony’s Environment and Energy Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) to work together with the federal government against the Franco-Russian nuclear project.
Even after the nuclear power plant in Lingen has been shut down, the local anti-nuclear citizens’ initiative wants to continue its efforts against the nuclear power industry. It is absurd that nuclear fuel rods for Eastern European nuclear power plants are to be manufactured in the fuel element factory in Lingen with Russian participation in the future, said Alexander Vent from the Alliance for Anti-Nuclear Power Opponents in Emsland (AgiEL) on Friday. He expects Lower Saxony’s Environment and Energy Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) to work together with the federal government against the Franco-Russian nuclear project.
“The topic is far from over here in Lingen,” said Vent. It is a misconception to think that now is the end of nuclear energy in Lingen. The nuclear waste from the Lingen nuclear power plant collected in a castor storage facility is still on the power plant site. “There are already more than 50 castors stored there with highly radioactive waste.” In the nuclear power plant there are also a number of fuel elements that have to cool down so that they can be packed in castor containers.
Due to the delayed search for a repository in Germany, it could take up to the year 2100 for the last Castor with highly radioactive waste to disappear from Lingen. “That’s at least two generations left to deal with this problem,” Vent said.
For Saturday, citizens’ initiatives have called for a demonstration train between the fuel element factory and the nuclear power plant. Around 500 participants are expected. The Emsland nuclear power plant is to be finally shut down on Saturday.
