THE British government is considering plans for three new nuclear power stations within 20 miles of the controversial Sellafield plant, despite protests from the Irish state.

German energy giant GWE is developing plans to build nuclear plants at Braystones, three miles north of Sellafield, and Kirksanton, 15 miles to the south.

Meanwhile, Britain's Nuclear Decommissioning Agency (NDA) is preparing to auction off part of the Sellafield complex which it believes is suitable for nuclear power generation. Sellafield itself will remain open.

The developments have angered Irish anti-nuclear campaigners, with Louth TD Fergus O'Dowd stating that it "was no advantage to Ireland having such a threat on its doorstep".

Residents of Louth, which is directly west of Sellafield, claim the nuclear plant is responsible for an unusually high incidence of cancer in the county.

"The historic legacy of the Sellafield site has had major consequences for Irish people already and I had been hoping the British would deal with the legacy of the site rather than encourage further development around it," O'Dowd said.

While safety concerns about Sellafield are well-documented, the Sunday Tribune has learned that there have also been safety issues at nuclear plants operated by RWE. In mid-2006, the two reactors at its massive Biblis plant in Germany had to be shut down after it was found that faulty screw anchors had been used throughout the plant. The plant resumed generating electricity only at the end of 2007.

The three schemes are being considered under Britain's strategic siting assessment for inclusion on a fast-track list of 'suitable' nuclear power sites. The site selection process is expected to continue until September and the British government hopes energy companies will start constructing plants in 2013. They are due to be commissioned in 2018.

A spokesman for the NDA said its auctions of potentially suitable sites had attracted more bids than expected. "The British government has stated it considers the best location for new nuclear build is next to existing plants... The industry believes the auctioned sites are very likely to chosen," he said.

Meanwhile, the Irish government has restated its opposition to the continued operation of the Sellafield reprocessing plant which it said "poses an unacceptable risk" to the country.