Nuclear power 'too dangerous' to be used, Swedish minister says
Stockholm (Platts)--2Jun2005
Nuclear power, with its associated handling of spent fuel, is "extremely dangerous technology" that cannot be used to solve Sweden's greenhouse gas emissions problems, Environment Minister Lena Sommestad told members of the Riksdag (parliament) during a debate May 24. Her comments came just a few days before Barsebaeck-2 was permanently shut by government order, at midnight May 31. The government is officially committed to a nuclear phase-out, although it has signaled it will approve operating licenses for reactors at higher power, after modernization that is beginning. Sommestad did not comment on the uprate projects during the debate. In response to a question from Liberal lawmaker Marie Wahlgren, Sommestad also defended the minority Social Democratic government's emissions reduction and climate strategy. "I don't think there's any other country in the world which has such an ambitious climate policy," she said. "There are other countries in the world which have set targets greater than those in the Kyoto Protocol, but we have also said that our goal is to reach those targets without carbon sinks and flexible mechanisms. "Many are watching what Sweden does. That means that we have a great responsibility to succeed with this challenge." The Liberals want new nuclear reactors built in Sweden. But Sommestad said, "I am absolutely convinced that we can manage over the long term" without nuclear power. She also noted that a Swedish Environment Court recently expressed concerns about the safety of nuclear power and handling of spent fuel in reviewing Ringhals' application for operation under Sweden's new environment law. "The court [said] that nuclear ... is not compatible with a modern, environmentally friendly society," Sommestad said. The court referred the Ringhals case to the government, rather than ruling itself. But Wahlgren charged that, instead of nuclear being replaced by renewables in Sweden, "we see very clearly that it is being replaced by gas-fired power and also Danish and German coal-fired power." Sweden imports electricity from both countries. She added that Sweden might manage to use hydropower generation to replace the 50% of electricity that comes from nuclear, if restrictions on hydro development on four major rivers were lifted. But she said the Liberals are opposed to that. Sommestad countered that Sweden is in a much better position when it comes to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, even if reactors are taken off line, than many other countries, because about 50% of its electricity generation comes from hydro, even given the protected rivers. This story was originally published in Platts Nucleonics Week http://nucweek.platts.com
Copyright © 2005 - Platts
Please visit: www.platts.com
Their coverage of energy matters is extensive!!.