Europe looks to a new generation of atomic energy

Europe is alarmed about having to rely on a resurgent and unpredictable Russia, from which it takes a quarter of its gas. Russia’s President, Vladmir Putin, sent shockwaves through Europe when Russia’s state-controlled energy giant, Gazprom, cut off gas supplies to Ukraine in last year’s freezing winter to try to settle a price dispute.

The other change is the belated rise of climate change to the top of the global agenda. Britain’s carbon dioxide emissions are growing fast: it will fail to meet its commitment of a 20 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2010. What’s more, wind power will produce just 7 per cent of electricity by 2010, despite big investments in wind farms. Britain’s 14 nuclear power stations, which supply a fifth of all electricity, are ageing. Since they take about 10 years to build, it is time, says Blair, to invest in a new generation of reactors.
In terms of carbon dioxide emissions, the case is strong. France’s use of nuclear energy means each citizen emits six tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, compared with 9.5 in Britain, 15 in Australia and 18 in the United States, say 2005 figures from Bruno Comby, of France’s Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy.

Sydney Morning Herald