Climate change activists occupy Didcot power station
July 5th 2006: For immediate release

Early this morning activists from climate change pressure group Reclaim Power occupied a lighting tower at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire. Three climbers scaled the tower and unfurled a 50-foot orange and black banner with the words 'Climate Crime'. They plan to remain there for several hours in a peaceful but visually dramatic action to highlight the role of coal-fired power stations in climate change.

Lyn Barth from Reclaim Power said, “This is a shot across the bows for the coal industry. Coal produces more greenhouse gases than any other form of electricity generation. The future isn’t in fossil fuels or nuclear. The future is in reducing our energy consumption and sustainable alternative energy. Otherwise we leave a legacy of destruction to our children.”

Campaigners are concerned that the government and companies like the owners of Didcot power station, RWE/npower, are failing to take serious action on climate change.

Ms Barth continued: “It is up to individuals to force them to stop their emissions before the planet reaches a catastrophe.”

This is not the first time Didcot has been targeted by protestors against climate change. The action against Didcot is part of a series of actions, which include the publicly announced occupation planned for Britain’s largest coal power station, Drax in Yorkshire, during the Camp for Climate Action.

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NOTES:
1. This action was carried out by autonomous activists in support of climate campaign group Reclaim Power (www.reclaimpower.org.uk).

For further information contact: 0794 458 6036 or  reclaimpower101@yahoo.co.uk

The climbers may be reached on the following mobiles: 07856 551 479 & 07856 551 480.

2. Didcot A power station (owned by German transnational RWE who also own npower in the UK) burns around 3.7m tonnes of coal a year (from company leaflet 'Didcot Power Stations') and produces around 4.9m tonnes of CO2 (Friends of the Earth, 2004). Recently Didcot A power station came under fire for seeking to disposing of ash by-products from coal burning in environmentally sensitive areas – in particular from Save Radley Lakes campaigners (www.saveradleylakes.org.uk). For more information see  http://www.abingdonherald.co.uk/search/display.var.724320.0.council_joins_lake_protest.php and
 http://www.abingdonherald.co.uk/search/display.var.831559.0.protest_pledge_despite_verdict.php

3. Reclaim Power is calling for mass direct action at Drax power station in North Yorkshire on 31st August. Drax is the largest single emitter of greenhouse gases in the UK

4. Reclaim Power is part of the Camp for Climate Action (26th August-4th September), creating grassroots solutions to climate change through ten days of actions, education, networking and skill-sharing. For more information see www.climatecamp.org.uk

5, On 10th July activists in the USA blockaded a coal power station in Clinch River, Carbo, Virginia. For more information see  http://www.chesapeakeclimate.org/news/news_detail.cfm?id=121 &  http://www.katuahearthfirst.org/