Activists from Reclaim the Power descended on RWE npower’s Swindon offices on Monday 23rd January, as part of an on-going campaign by Reclaim the Power, Coal Action Network and Bristol Rising Tide, against Aberthaw power station.
Banners reading, “RWE kills,” “End Coal Now,” “Aberhaw is choking us” and “Close Aberthaw” perfectly articulated why we were there. RWE npower has two buildings on Windmill Business park. The company runs Aberthaw coal power station in South Wales, which kills 400 people a year from air pollution.
The aim of the day was to bring the campaign, to close Aberthaw power station, to the people who will decide the future of the power station. It simply isn’t acceptable that Aberthaw coal power station produces the quantity of nitrogen oxides that it does and yet continues to operate. In the first half of 2016 the plant had already emitted 11,003 tonnes of NOx, almost four times the 4,800 tonnes permitted under European Union Industrial Emissions Directive limits.
200 leaflets were distributed to workers and visitors, including by one of Reclaim the Power’s team who got into the building despite it being on security shut down. All of the three main doors were occupied by campaigners and workers were only allowed admittance via the emergency exits.
The protest made the Swindon Advertiser Protesters hold demo outside Npower HQ over air pollution and Barry and District News Aberthaw protests at energy firm’s headquarters.
The action comes ahead of this Saturday’s demonstration at Aberthaw power station, when concerned people will meet to demand “Shut Aberthaw power station – Green jobs now!” for more details see Reclaim the Power’s website.
