(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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