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| Climate activists occupy West Burton gas power station | Climate activists occupy West Burton gas power station |
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| Around 20 climate change protesters have seriously disrupted operations at one of the UK's new generation of gas-fired power stations at West Burton in Nottinghamshire. | Around 20 climate change protesters have seriously disrupted operations at one of the UK's new generation of gas-fired power stations at West Burton in Nottinghamshire. |
| Police have made five arrests but climbing parties from the campaign group No Dash for Gas successfully scaled two 91m (300ft) concrete cooling towers overnight, securing themselves on ledges with supplies for a week. | Police have made five arrests but climbing parties from the campaign group No Dash for Gas successfully scaled two 91m (300ft) concrete cooling towers overnight, securing themselves on ledges with supplies for a week. |
| One of the group tweeted exuberantly with accompanying pictures: "Guess where we woke up this morning! Dawn sun shining on other chimney where friends are perched on the ledge." | |
| Ben Healey of No Dash For Gas said that the middle of the plant's three cooling towers had been working but had now shut down, with steam no longer pouring from its brim. He said: "There are nine activists up there and they have started abseiling down into the flue to prevent the furnaces being relit. That means we are in for the long haul. | Ben Healey of No Dash For Gas said that the middle of the plant's three cooling towers had been working but had now shut down, with steam no longer pouring from its brim. He said: "There are nine activists up there and they have started abseiling down into the flue to prevent the furnaces being relit. That means we are in for the long haul. |
| "The six people on the other chimney, which is not yet fully built, have barricaded themselves in place and will be very difficult to dislodge." | "The six people on the other chimney, which is not yet fully built, have barricaded themselves in place and will be very difficult to dislodge." |
| The plant's owners and operators EDF confirmed that the middle tower had been closed down. | The plant's owners and operators EDF confirmed that the middle tower had been closed down. |
| It's quite a view from the top of this smoke stack. We're here to stop the government's insane new #dashforgas twitter.com/nodashforgas/s… | It's quite a view from the top of this smoke stack. We're here to stop the government's insane new #dashforgas twitter.com/nodashforgas/s… |
| No Dash for Gas said that the action was aimed at stopping operations at the £600m power station that is one of a cluster of plants built around the site of the deserted medieval village of West Burton in the valley of the River Trent. | No Dash for Gas said that the action was aimed at stopping operations at the £600m power station that is one of a cluster of plants built around the site of the deserted medieval village of West Burton in the valley of the River Trent. |
| The group said: "West Burton power station is being targeted because it's one of the first in a new generation of highly polluting gas plants planned for the UK. The coalition government recently announced that it intends to give the green light to as many as 20 new gas plants – a move that would crash Britain's carbon targets, contribute to the climate crisis and push up bills." | The group said: "West Burton power station is being targeted because it's one of the first in a new generation of highly polluting gas plants planned for the UK. The coalition government recently announced that it intends to give the green light to as many as 20 new gas plants – a move that would crash Britain's carbon targets, contribute to the climate crisis and push up bills." |
| Nottinghamshire police said that access had been gained to the site by protesters at about 1.20am. A police spokesman said: "Around 10 are thought to have climbed the water towers and have secured themselves to restrict their removal. Searches are ongoing to find a number of other people who are also believed to have gained access to the site." | Nottinghamshire police said that access had been gained to the site by protesters at about 1.20am. A police spokesman said: "Around 10 are thought to have climbed the water towers and have secured themselves to restrict their removal. Searches are ongoing to find a number of other people who are also believed to have gained access to the site." |
| 5 people have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass at West Burton power Station. 17 people on 2 towers twitter.com/veritycowley/s… | 5 people have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass at West Burton power Station. 17 people on 2 towers twitter.com/veritycowley/s… |
| One of the protesters said a total of 17 people had climbed two towers roughly 80m apart. Speaking by mobile phone from the site, the woman, who gave her name as Ewa, confirmed the group was demonstrating against climate change and fuel poverty, as well as to highlight the need for renewable energy rather than "expensive and dirty" gas. | One of the protesters said a total of 17 people had climbed two towers roughly 80m apart. Speaking by mobile phone from the site, the woman, who gave her name as Ewa, confirmed the group was demonstrating against climate change and fuel poverty, as well as to highlight the need for renewable energy rather than "expensive and dirty" gas. |
| Ewa said: "Our motivation for this protest is to try and stop this government from locking us into a dependency on gas for the next 30 years. If billions can be found to bail out corrupt banks then billions can be found to fund a renewable energy economy." | Ewa said: "Our motivation for this protest is to try and stop this government from locking us into a dependency on gas for the next 30 years. If billions can be found to bail out corrupt banks then billions can be found to fund a renewable energy economy." |
| Such an economy would create hundreds of thousands of green jobs, reduce household energy bills and benefit the environment, according to the protest group, who said they had sufficient supplies to stay at the power station for about one week. | Such an economy would create hundreds of thousands of green jobs, reduce household energy bills and benefit the environment, according to the protest group, who said they had sufficient supplies to stay at the power station for about one week. |
| Ewa said: "It's unusual that we are linking this directly to fuel poverty. We shouldn't be investing in any gas whatsoever." | Ewa said: "It's unusual that we are linking this directly to fuel poverty. We shouldn't be investing in any gas whatsoever." |
| Great @nodashforgas action this am at West Burton power station: highlights useless CO2 policies.nodashforgas.org.uk | Great @nodashforgas action this am at West Burton power station: highlights useless CO2 policies.nodashforgas.org.uk |
| Power generation at West Burton goes back to 1967 when the older coal-fired station that stands alongside the new plant was commissioned by Harold Wilson's Labour government. | Power generation at West Burton goes back to 1967 when the older coal-fired station that stands alongside the new plant was commissioned by Harold Wilson's Labour government. |
| Now a venerable complex with a discovery centre for local schools, it was due to be joined by a second coal-fired station but plans were cancelled when the electricity industry was privatised in 1990. Work started on the £600m combined cycle gas turbine station in 2008, with some 1,000 jobs involved in construction, including a 19km (12 mile) gas pipeline and generation equipment to supply power to about 1.5m homes and businesses. | Now a venerable complex with a discovery centre for local schools, it was due to be joined by a second coal-fired station but plans were cancelled when the electricity industry was privatised in 1990. Work started on the £600m combined cycle gas turbine station in 2008, with some 1,000 jobs involved in construction, including a 19km (12 mile) gas pipeline and generation equipment to supply power to about 1.5m homes and businesses. |