6 Apr 2012

Smoke alarm at French power plant

10:39 am on 6 April 2012

Fire crews rushed to a nuclear reactor in northern France after an escape of smoke, but the EDF energy company says the site is secure.

Ten fire engines were sent to the Penly site near Dieppe, where the reactor was shut down after the alarm was raised at 12.20pm on Thursday.

The company says its number two reactor automatically shut down and nobody was hurt in the incident.

France obtains 75% of its electricity from nuclear power. The BBC reports the industry's future has become a political issue.