For more than a month, one of the largest nuclear power plants in France, situated at Paluel, close to the English Channel in Normandy, has been plagued by a series of disturbing incidents involving recurrent leaks, including that of radioactive gases, and the contamination of staff. Mediapart has obtained exclusive access to documents and witness accounts that testify to an atmosphere of fear among workers at the plant, lying 60 miles from the English coastline and which produces 7% of all French electricity output. This investigation by Jade Lindgaard and Michel de Pracontal.
Alarm bells ring at French nuke plant beside English Channel
Mediapart can exclusively reveal that one of France's largest nuclear power plants, situated at Paluel, overlooking the English Channel in Normandy (photo), has recently been plagued by a series of disturbing incidents including contamination of staff and recurrent leaks of radioactive gas and seepage from cracked fuel rod casings. Mediapart has obtained access to documents and witness accounts that testify to a prevalent atmosphere of fear among workers at the plant which lies 60 miles from the English coastline and where the regularly-activated alarm system had to be re-tuned to lower safety levels. Jade Lindgaard and Michel de Pracontal investigate.
Jade Lindgaard and Michel de Pracontal
22 June 2011 à 20h43
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