AW: [ RadSafe ] Charlotte-based Duke Power considering building newnuclear plant

[Franz Schönhofer]

Dear Sandy,

I really appreciate that you did not give in to some RADSAFErs and that
you continue to post your news. I still forward those of interest for
Europeans to my private clientele at the Austrian Radiation Protection
Society, since you once agreed on it. They really appreciate it. 

In this posting it is interesting for me, that my little, "nuclear free"
Austria shows up in an international context. Therefore I want to
comment on it. It is also a very good example of falsified importance.
"Court" is not "court" in different places. Its ruling might be decisive
or it might be a joke, like in this context.

The court addressed ("Vienna district court") is the very lowest court
imaginable. The court in question is the Hernalser Bezirksgericht,
responsible for a small percentage of Viennese inhabitants and which
handles questions like accepting requests for divorce, notification of
stolen documents (as far as not the police is in charge), regulating the
handling of the last will etc. Unfortunately I know it. 

That the judge made such a ruling will most probably be very negative
for her. Obviously she did not consult any experts (which ones....?) and
the ruling that there would be any negative effect by whichever nuclear
power plant on the table of Glawischnig is ridiculous for anyone
following the ruling. 

The Austrian public is extremely negative towards nuclear power, but
this ruling has caused almost everywhere in Austria laughing and
ridiculing. 

The greens of course sell this as a big victory to international papers
and news agencies. I hope RADSAFErs will be able to judge it in the
light of my comment accordingly.

Best regards,

Franz 



Franz Schoenhofer
PhD, MR iR
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna
AUSTRIA
phone -43-0699-1168-1319


> ---------------------
> 
> Austrian court rules against Slovak nuclear plant
> 
> VIENNA, Feb 17 (Reuters) - An Austrian court has set a precedent for
> Europe by ruling that a foreign nuclear plant poses a health hazard
> that must be corrected, the Green party said on Thursday.
> 
> "The ruling shows impressively that people can defend themselves
> successfully against a nuclear power plant in a neighbouring state,"
> Eva Glawischnig, the party's deputy leader and one of the two
> plaintiffs, said in a statement.
> 
> A Vienna district court found Slovakia's Mochovce power plant,
> northeast of Bratislava and about 150 km (90 miles) from Vienna, did
> not meet international safety standards and posed a risk to the
> health of the plaintiffs, who both live in Vienna.
> 
> Judge Hannelore Weber ruled against the plant's owner, Slovak state
> power firm Slovenske Elektrarne (SE), saying it had to reduce the
> risk of an accident that could cause a radiation leak and damage the
> plaintiffs' health.
> 
> The plant's owner said it would appeal.
> 
> "The nuclear power plant at Mochovce meets all Slovakia's legislative
> requirements as well as international safety standards," it added.
> 
> The opposition Greens said the court made the ruling earlier this
> month. Glawischnig held a news conference on the case on Thursday
> where copies of the ruling were handed out.
> 
> The party added that as Slovakia is a member state of the European
> Union, the ruling was binding across the border.
> 
> The Greens said the ruling was "unique in Europe."
> 
> "This is the first time a court has established that a nuclear power
> plant across the border creates a threat to life and health," the
> party said.
> 
> The ruling said there was no danger if the power station functioned
> normally, but said several aspects did not reach Western safety
> standards, such as its lack of protection against plane crashes, and
> pipes placed too close together.
> 
> "Due to the respondent's inability to prove that international
> standards were observed in the construction and operation of the
> Mochovce nuclear power plant, one can assume that there is an
> increased risk of accidents," the judge ruled.
> 
> She ruled SE should "take suitable precautions to prevent nuisances
> (in Vienna, originating at the plant)," adding that the choice of
> precautions was up to SE.