Nuclear Monitor #927
Jan van Evert
On May 17th WISE Netherlands held a nationwide campaign against nuclear power in fifteen cities. The campaign focused on the skyrocketing costs and slow realisation of nuclear power plants in The Netherlands. The question asked to the passing public was simple: “Do you want to pour billions down the drain of new nuclear power plants? Or do you want to use those billions for more useful things, such as lower energy bills, better public transport and better healthcare?”
The actions took place across the country from Eemshaven in the far north (one of the proposed sites for the new nuclear power plants) to Middelburg in the south-west. The passing public was asked: “What would you do with 20 billion euros?” Most people chose for education and other purposes, only ten percent for nuclear power.
In Nijmegen, in the east of the country, fifteen activists gathered in front of the railway station. They brought a piece of nuclear waste and a Geiger counter to demonstrate radioactivity. The public could also admire a scale model of a nuclear power plant.
Lisa Busink, campaigner for WISE said: “Nuclear power is an expensive distraction from real solutions. With billions of taxpayers’ money, we could do a lot more if we invest in things that benefit people now”.
In Almelo, also in the east, the campaigners visited the Urenco uranium enrichment plant and deployed a banner. In Maastricht, near the Belgian border, local activist Leo Maathuis said: “Why does the government want to spend billions on money-guzzling, unnecessary and slow nuclear power plants, while cutting the budget for green hydrogen and batteries? To save the climate? Even Minister Hermans admits they would arrive too late for that”.
The protest also included a petition entitled ‘Not one cent to new nuclear power plants: nuclear power is bloody expensive!’ 141 people signed the petition that day. The total score is now 798 signatures.
