France nuclear plant accident injures two
Activists simulate a massive death during a flash mob to protest against nuclear technology on Politeama Square in central Rome on May 29, 2011.
France's oldest nuclear power plant suffered a steam leak today, Agence France-Presse reported. About 50 firefighters were sent to the Fessenheim nuclear power plant in northeastern France, and "two people were slightly burnt through their gloves," a spokeswoman from France utility giant Electricite de France (EDF), the company that supplies power, told the AFP.
The spokeswoman downplayed the accident. "No fire broke out," she told Reuters. "Steam escaped during a maintenance operation which set off the fire alarm."
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But the accident has nonetheless renewed calls for closure of the Fessenheim plant, the Associated Press reported. France relies on nuclear energy more than any other nation.
This particular plant has been especially controversial due to its location. The plant is scheduled to close in 2017 because of its vulnerability to earthquakes and floods, according to the AFP.