Nuke Accident Test Fax Draws Red Faces

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German Environment Ministry unintentionally released a practice warning statement about a fictitious nuclear accident at a French power plant on Tuesday -- which embarrassed officials rushed to withdraw.

``French authorities confirm a fault at the Gravelines nuclear power plant,'' read the headline on the statement erroneously sent to Reuters. ``Currently, no effects on Germany.''

``Since the German weather service shows a stable easterly wind over Germany, France and in Gravelines itself, radioactive material... would be transported westwards in the direction of southern England and Northern Ireland,'' it said.

``Currently it is not expected that radiation protection measures will be necessary in Germany.''

Asked to explain the statement headed ``practice'' in small letters, a ministry spokeswoman said there had been no accident at the Gravelines power plant in northern France near the Belgian border. He said the statement was issued by mistake.

``The press statement reflects a fictitious scenario of the exercise. No fault has really occurred at Gravelines today,'' the ministry said in a second statement sent hours later.

``The aim of the exercise is to test the effective communication between the states and international organizations and the national emergency protection regimes,'' it said.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency in France said 54 countries and five international organizations were taking part in the nuclear emergency management exercise centered on Gravelines.

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