No New Coal. Actions at Power Station and Open Cast Mines.

IMCista | 26.10.2009 15:44 | Climate Chaos | Energy Crisis | Oxford

Update: At 4:30 am after 48 hours of protest, the remaining 10 came down from the roof of Didcot Power station and were arrested.

Early on Monday morning, activists entered a NPower coal fired plant in Didcot. A group chained themselves to the coal conveyor, and prevented coal from entering the power station, although a report indicates that those chained to the conveyor were cut loose and arrested. Others erected tents on the roof and have climbed chimneys, and have spent two nights up there.

In associated actions, work was stopped at two open cast mines on Monday. Twenty activists entered the site at Shipley which provides coal to Ratcliffe-on-Soar, and climbed onto vehicles, which they occupies, stopping work on the site for 4.5 hours. Mainshill, site of an ongoing protest camp was blockaded for seven hours. After action to stop night time felling on Monday, another blockade was mounted on Tuesday.

Updates from Inside Didcot

text sent at 18h31: 3 arrests in the last hour from the coal conveyor crew.

Text sent at 15h10: No arrests yet. there are still people locked onto the coal conveyor preventing coal from getting into the power station. People are occupying the chimney. Three of the units have turned to gas and teh fourth is not operational. Post Kingsnorth NPower have taken the lead position in pushing new coal in the uk. Over the next couple of weeks, they are seeking planning permission for a new coal fired power station in Scotland. This is the beginning of a massive campaign against them.

Text sent at 13h12: Sorry climber came down from flue because it's still running on oil.

Text sent at 12h18: People locked onto coal conveyor for 7 hours now. Climbers on top of chimney going into switched off flue to keep it off.

Text sent at 11h32: Unfortunately it appears that power is still being generated. We are currently putting tents up on the roof of the power station and we have climbers scaling the flues.

IMCista