nuclear-news

Sweden’s nuclear future is very uncertain indeed

the people of Sweden voted to decommission all nuclear power plants by 2010. However, only two nuclear blocks (Barsebaeck 1+2) were actually decommissioned. The decommissioning cost three times more than it did to build the reactors in the first place. That is why it is so important for the external costs of nuclear power to be included when doing a cost analysis.

NUCLEAR: Is the battle lost?, PROJECT 90, 30 June 2010, On the 17th June 2010 Sweden’s parliament passed a Bill to overturn a 30-year-old ban on new nuclear reactors.  174 parliamentarians voted yes and 172 voted no. The Swedish Parliament attached some conditions to the building of new nuclear reactors:

• Only existing plants would be replaced
• No government subsidies would be granted to the nuclear developments
• The owner and operator would be held financially responsible in the case of any accidents.

Some parliamentarians expressed the opinion that under such conditions no utility would embark on a new-build programme. The UK has embarked on a similar approach whereby the government has said it would no longer subsidise the nuclear industry: Government details subsidy-free support for nuclear

The story about nuclear in Sweden:

A referendum was held in 1980 and the people of Sweden voted to decommission all nuclear power plants by 2010. However, only two nuclear blocks (Barsebaeck 1+2) were actually decommissioned. The decommissioning cost three times more than it did to build the reactors in the first place. That is why it is so important for the external costs of nuclear power to be included when doing a cost analysis.

Nuclear power still provides about 40% of Sweden’s electricity supply. The plants are getting older and a conservative government is in power. However, elections are being held in September and there is a good chance that a leftwing/green coalition could come into power – they have promised to revoke the decision. NUCLEAR: Is the battle lost? «
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July 2, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Sweden | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear decommissioning, nuclear technology