Greenpeace nuke protest hits UPM-Kymmene office

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Greenpeace nuke protest hits UPM-Kymmene office
  
HELSINKI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Greenpeace environmentalists targeted 
the head office of Finnish forestry group UPM-Kymmene <UPM1V.HE> on 
Friday to protest its role in an application to build a new nuclear 
reactor in the country. 

"As UPM-Kymmene would be the largest private shareholder of the new 
reactor... Greenpeace believes they have a large responsibility for 
dragging Finland on an unsustainable energy path," Greenpeace said in 
a statement. 

Helsinki police officer Ari Taipale told Reuters that five out of the 
original 13 protesters were left at the office, with three climbing 
the side of the building and two on the roof holding security ropes. 

He said the general atmosphere was peaceful and the protest was 
expected to end around 11:30 a.m. (0930 GMT). None of the protestors 
would be arrested, he said. 

A UPM-Kymmene spokesman told Reuters that an earlier blockade of the 
office entrance had ended, but that there was still a Greenpeace 
banner on the building's wall. He said the company would not get 
involved in the protest. 

Finnish power group Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) on Wednesday made the 
proposal for a fifth nuclear reactor, saying it would cost between 10-
15 billion markka ($1.4-2.2 billion). 

UPM holds close to 40 percent of energy group Pohjolan Voima which, 
along with larger peer Fortum <FUM1V.HE>, controls TVO. 

The submission of the proposal was seen triggering a long and heated 
debate in Finland, with advocates saying a new reactor would reduce 
dependence on foreign energy supplies and opponents saying other, 
less risky energy sources are available. 

The application for the reactor comes as other European countries 
like Sweden and Germany have decided to shift away from nuclear 
power. 

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Personal Website: http://sandyfl.nukeworker.net
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