ANTI-NUCLEAR campaigners fear Teesside could become home to a new breed of reactors earmarked for the sites of existing power stations.

Last night, they vowed to do everything in their power to prevent a new wave of nuclear power stations being built across the country.

The Teesside Green Party fears Hartlepool could become home to a new generation nuclear station when the existing power plant reaches the end of its economic life.

Members believe nuclear energy could be phased out in favour of renewable energy supplies .

They have organised a meeting at the Blind Welfare Hall, in Avenue Road, on Wednesday, at 7.15pm.

The meeting will be addressed by Jim Duffy, a Greenpeace leading expert on nuclear energy issues.

There will also be information about the part that wind, marine and solar energy can play in a nuclear- free environment.

Peter Goodwin, of the Teesside Green Party, said: "Renewable energy is clean, inexhaustible and has no long-term impact on our environment. And, given sensible investment, it's available.

"But the Government seems willing to cave in to the nuclear industrialists, offering concessions that will make a new wave of nuclear power stations look attractive to investors. At the same time, changes in planning law will make it much harder for local people to resist.

"All over the country, campaign groups are being formed to resist nuclear expansion. Nowhere is that more necessary than here in the Tees Valley, where the preferred site is within four or five miles of Middlesbrough, Billingham, Redcar and Hartlepool."

A spokesman for the Department of Trade and Industry said no firm proposals had been submitted as yet for the future of power stations, including Hartlepool.

"This is a long-running campaign by the Green Party and Greenpeace," he said. "What we will do is look at any new proposals that come for the development of power stations - nuclear or otherwise - and until those proposals are made, we are not able to comment further."