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Nuclear:experts say no to Krsko 2, area of high seismic risk

Geologist Decker, 'Italy should make its voice heard before 2023

24 February, 11:45
(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 24 FEB - Geologists and seismologists all agree: the potential doubling of the Krsko nuclear power plant in Slovenia, 125 km from Trieste, should be ruled out, given that it stands in an area of medium-high seismicity, as many studies and monitoring confirmed. The plant's license will expire in 2023, and then a decision must be made whether to keep it running or not. It is, therefore, also the right time for the Italian government to make its voice heard against the plan of a plant's "revamping" to keep it running until 2043, as the Slovenian authorities seem to want to do. Viennese geologist Kurt Decker, consultant of the Austrian government, suggested yesterday at the Facebook meeting organized by the Pd Trieste, focusing on "The seismic risk of the Krsko nuclear power plant: 125 kilometers from Trieste, towards the Bora", during which seismologists and geologists presented "unequivocal" data on the seismic risk for the plant, designed in the late seventies and active since 1983. Decker underlined that the Italian government is fully entitled to "intervene with authority in the debate around the plant, upon an agreement signed by Austria, Italy, and Slovenia in 1997." Researcher Giovanni Costa, a member of a cross-border monitoring network which also includes Slovenia and Croatia, Livio Sirovich, a geologist-seismologist researcher at the Ogs of Trieste, Peter Suhadolc, a seismologist of the University of Trieste, the MP Debora Serracchiani (Democratic Party), former president of the Fvg Region, attended the meeting. Giovanni Costa stressed that "the continuous observation of phenomena shows that the area is seismically active," as confirmed by the events that involved Croatia last year, such as "the earthquake in Petrinja last December and several tremors in recent months in Zagreb, which is only 40 km away from the Krsko plant".

Suhadolc pointed out that several earthquakes between magnitudes 5 and 5.5 have occurred in the area over 150 years. "Furthermore - he said - we know nothing of future ones, which could occur on new faults created near the plant." Sirovich said that so far, all the studies have not been listened to, beginning with the first investigations for the construction of Krsko 2, conducted by two French national institutes, which denounced "the presence of faults that have moved in recent times." Underlining the opposition already expressed by the previous regional administration to a doubling project of the Krsko plant, Debora Serracchiani took up Decker's suggestion. She guaranteed her commitment so that the Italian government takes over the issue in the competent offices. "Our country - she said - must take an active part ahead of the expiry of the plant's license in 2023." (ANSA).

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