nuclear-news

Nuclear plant operators, not taxpayers, should pay for safety upgrades, says EU Parliament

“Nuclear operators should bear €25 billion cost of making Europe’s reactors safer“http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/content/20130121STO05427/html/Nuclear-operators-should-bear-%E2%82%AC25-billion-cost-of-making-EU-reactors-safer 25-01-2013 Nuclear operators, not taxpayers, should cover the costs of necessary safety upgrades as well as pay for everything they are liable for in the event of a nuclear accident, according to a resolution approved by the EP’s energy committee on 24 January. Improving Europe’s nuclear power plants so that they can withstand a natural disaster is estimated to cost up to €25 billion.
Threat to the public

Nuclear energy accidents, whether caused by human error or an earthquake, pose a severe risk to public health. The consequences from the explosion in the Chernobyl plant in 1986, the world’s worst nuclear disaster, are still being felt today as discussed in the EuroparlTV video above.

The aftermath of Fukushima

After the Fukushima accident in Japan in March 2011, 145 reactors in 15 EU member states were tested to assess whether nuclear power plants here could withstand a natural disasters. The checks showed that nearly all nuclear power plants need safety improvements.

Insurance and liability

The energy committee also called for new proposals on nuclear insurance and liability to be put forward by the end of 2013. The European Commission plans to present a report on the implementation of stress test recommendations by member states in June 2014.

Next steps

MEPs will debate nuclear safety in plenary on 6 February and they will vote on the resolution on 7 February. 

January 26, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, politics, safety