WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2190/98 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Earthquake at Adana in Turkey
Date: 1998-07-10
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: International Atomic Energy Agency, Türkiye, accident prevention, earthquake, environmental risk prevention, nuclear accident, nuclear power station, nuclear safety, public works, seismic monitoring













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91998E2190

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2190/98 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Earthquake at Adana in Turkey  


Official Journal C 096 , 08/04/1999 P. 0054 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-2190/98by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission(10 July 1998)Subject: Earthquake at Adana in TurkeyThe tragedy of the disastrous earthquake at Adana in Turkey on 27 June 1998 has, unfortunately, borne out my misgivings concerning Turkey's plans to set up a nuclear plant at Akkuyu, which is only 70 kilometres approximately from Adana. I had voiced my concern about the seismicity of the region in my question No E-1078/97(1) to the Commission, without receiving a specific answer to the issues involved.Having put another question, No E-3787/97(2), to the Commission, I received the assurance that "information obtained by the Commission from other sources shows that the Akkuyu site was selected by the Turkish authorities following extensive studies, focusing on seismic, geological and environmental aspects in particular, by specialised departments of several Turkish universities."Following the tragic events, which claimed hundreds of lives, European public opinion is, justifiably, profoundly concerned at the Turkish Government's nonchalant attitude in persisting with the construction of a nuclear reactor in an extremely earthquake-prone area, which is in fact much closer to another fault-line than the one activated, known to seismologists as "South".Does the Commission intend to intervene forcefully and in what manner, following recent events, to avert the possibility of a nuclear accident, which is inherent in the planned construction of a nuclear plant at Akkuyu, in an area which has proved to be highly susceptible to earthquake?Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission(11 September 1998)The Honourable Member is asked to refer to the Commission's answer to his Written Question, No E-1876/98(3).The Commission has no competence to participate in site selection processes. Turkey's authorities, and in particular its nuclear regulatory body - the Turkish atomic energy authority (TAEA) - are responsible for such selection, within the general framework of the guidance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).In the wake of the recent earthquake in the Adana region, the Turkish authorities have confirmed that all the necessary safety measures have been put in place for the Akkuyu power station. No building work has yet begun. The name of the consortium chosen to carry out construction should be published in August.The head of the Germano-French consortium (Framatome and Siemens) bidding for the contract has said that the power station will be built using tried and tested technologies which will ensure its safety.(1) OJ C 367, 4.12.1997, p. 74.(2) OJ C 223, 17.7.1998, p. 22.(3) See page 12.