Under-fire Sellafield facing fresh attack - Minister calls for troubled plant to close

By Tamzin Lewis

SELLAFIELD'S nuclear plant is facing renewed calls for the suspension of its reprocessing activities. The call comes from Joe Jacobs, Ireland's energy minister, after a disastrous week for the Cumbrian complex.

It follows an admission by owner British Nuclear Fuels that safety checks had been faked. Bosses admitted that two more workers - bringing the total to five - have been sacked after claims that 22 manual checks on nuclear containers were incorrectly carried out.

Now shocked watchdogs at the Health and Safety Executive have ordered a "root and branch" review of management. And the plant faces prosecution over further breaches of safety regulations after concentrated nitric acid was released, injuring two workers.

Mr Jacobs has demanded an immediate halt to reprocessing until Sellafield's management culture is transformed. He said: "I'd like to see it done forthwith, at least until changes are made to management, which will inspire confidence in the safety culture."

DISTURBING

A damning report by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate - part of the Health and Safety Executive - blamed "systematic management failure." Mr Jacobs added: "These most recent reports are extremely disturbing. I want to emphasise the depth and seriousness of the worry and concern of the Irish public."

The call comes a week after Irish MP Brian Lenihan demanded that the plant be shut down. Union officials warned that failure to act on the report will threaten the future of 20,000 workers.

BNFL's chief executive John Taylor this week apologised to one of their main clients, the Japanese government, for any embarrassment caused. Japan insisted that BNFL take back a shipment of poor quality uranium and plutonium mixed-oxide fuel rods.

Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Pete Roche said: "Removing one or two people at the top would be like moving deckchairs on the Titanic."

Return to the top of this page...