A Losing Battle

What do you think: will the Fins pay any attention?

Environmental group Greenpeace on Friday called on Finland to halt construction of a new nuclear reactor, arguing that neither the builders nor Finnish authorities could vouch for the reactor's safety.

"Greenpeace demands that the construction of Olkiluoto 3 be halted. Nuclear power is inherently dangerous technology and this particular reactor lacks proper safety, public health and environmental impact analysis," Kaisa Kosonen of Greenpeace Finland told reporters.

The ecological organisation criticised Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) for taking just 13 months, from January 2004 until February 2005, to evaluate the project before giving the green light.

"I find it surprising ... that Finland ... has pressed ahead and completed its assessment of the nuclear safety case within a year, compared to the seven to eight years required by the much larger and greatly more experienced" US regulatory authority, said John Large, who has written a report for Greenpeace on the issue.

Nuclear power is inherently dangerous? Gee, I was under the impression that the Rainbow Warriors were responsible for more pollution than nuclear power plants. How dare the Fins enjoy efficient, safe, technologically sound energy! Kudos to Greenpeace for trying to keep the world in the dark ages.