French Nuclear Plant Worries Swiss Regions

[malaise]

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpps/news/french-nuclear-plant-worries-swiss-regions-dpgonc-km-20110322_12439606
<snip>
Two Swiss border regions on Tuesday urged France to shut down its Fessenheim nuclear plant, saying that it required intensive checks following Japan's crisis.

"The governments of cantons Basel Countryside and Basel City call on the French authorities and (French energy giant) EDF to switch off and immediately shut down the Fessenheim nuclear power plant until it undergoes an intensive check that takes into account the events in Japan," the two Swiss states said in a joint statement.

"The current, serious nuclear accident in Japan reinforces our opinion that the Fessenheim nuclear power plant poses a serious threat for the populations in the region," they added.

Built in 1977-78, Fessenheim is France's oldest nuclear plant still in operation and the reactor also lies in a quake-prone area.

The neighboring states said they planned to lodge their request with Alsace's regional government on April 1.