| THYSPUNT NUCLEAR CONCERNS: |
| Posted by Enviroadmin |
| Sunday, 23 May 2010 12:30 |
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There is a 16 km radius emergency planning zone that is recognized by the National Nuclear Regulator around the plant at Koeburg that Eskom is responsible for in the event of an accident. The next zone up to 80 km recognized by the NNR as an emergency planning zone , falls under the responsibility of the municipality's of those areas. It is internationally known that the first zone is known as fatal , meaning deaths occur in the event of a radio active fall out.. The second and third zones , people are to take anti cancer pills and to be evacuated. If they cannot be evacuated immediately they are to stay indoor and shut the windows and doors so not to breath the air. ( Unfortunate for those with well ventilated shacks) Agriculture , water from dams and livestock will be contamination and will essentially be discarded. All persons in all zones are to be resettled. On speaking with the National Nuclear Regulator I was informed that emergency zone planning is site specific . Other factors including the size of the nuclear power station and the prevailing wind will be taken into account when they are to establish these zones . Koeburg is 1800MW . Thyspunt is proposed to be 4000 MW and could be as much as 8000MW in the future. Eskom has not approached the NNR with regards to the proposed nuclear power station at Thyspunt. Thus no planning zones have been established by the NNR for the proposed nuclear power station at Thyspunt. We will have to calculate for ourselves where these zones will be and that simply cannot be correct procedure. Further more is our municipality financially capable of being responsible for resettling all these communities etc in the event of a radio active fall out? How will our Dairy , fishing and tourism industry be affected by such an event not to mention the water supply from the dams? Is our municipality financially able to deal with the implications there? How are we able to make an informed comment for the EIA public process for the proposed new Nuclear power station at Thyspunt if we do not have the relevant information from Eskom with respect to what implications it would have on us? We have not been given knowledge from Eskom on what implications the proposed nuclear power station would have on the surrounding areas in terms of emergency planning zones. Secondly what specifics in technical terms are we given with regards to the nuclear power station being proposed which we are to comment on for the EIA public participation? Eskom goes into this lengthly speech at the public meetings on why they believe nuclear is the way forward for South Africa , this has absolutely no relevance to the EIA public process for the Thyspunt site and does not help the public in any way to make an informed comment for the EIA. Did you know Eskom must inform the government within 15 minutes of an accident . Government must inform the immediately affected areas within 15 minutes there after. So where does that leave us as the victims of a radio active fall out which will be upon us in about 15 - 20 minutes ? Ryan Donnelly |
