31 March 2003

PRESS RELEASE

GREENS WELCOME CLOSURE OF SELLAFIELD CALDER HALL REACTOR

Green Party Spokesperson on Environment and Local Government, Ciarán Cuffe TD, said today, “the closure of Calder Hall is hopefully the beginning of the end of the Sellafield complex.  When Calder Hall opened we were promised cheap electricity but 47 years on it is evident that nuclear power is an extremely expensive commodity.”

“Nuclear power is both economically and environmentally expensive and the bill gets passes on to the next generation.  Calder Hall has reached its sell-by date and the Green Party welcome the closure of this power station.”

“We are now calling on the Minister for Environment and Local Government Martin Cullen TD to put pressure on BNFL not to reopen the Wylfa power station in North Wales, which is only 60 miles from Dublin,” concluded Deputy Cuffe.

ENDS/