| Construction of nuclear power plants declined | | | | there is direct access to low-cost fossil |
| following the 1986 disaster at Chernobyl. | | | | fuels". The need for cheap energy can not be |
| | | | argued when every week price increases are |
| According to the Guardian (March, 2006) the | | | | announced from all the gas and electricity |
| overwhelming majority of leaders at last | | | | suppliers in the UK. The Ukraine recently had |
| week's European Union summit, including Tony | | | | their gas supply stopped by Russia, how long |
| Blair, strongly backed a revival of nuclear | | | | is it before this happens to the UK? Do we |
| power as the answer to Europe's growing | | | | not need to be self-sufficient when it comes |
| dependence on overseas supplies and to combat | | | | to the generation of power? Can renewable |
| climate change. | | | | energy not begin to take a larger role in |
| | | | this supply? |
| Construction of nuclear power plants declined | | | | |
| following the 1986 disaster at Chernobyl. | | | | The report goes on to say that fuel costs for |
| Lately, there has been renewed interest in | | | | nuclear plants are a minor proportion of |
| nuclear energy from national governments, the | | | | total generating costs, though capital costs |
| public, and some notable environmentalists | | | | are greater than those for coal-fired plants. |
| due to increased oil prices, new passively | | | | At the NIA 2006 launch of the Commission's |
| safe designs of plants, and the low emission | | | | position paper on the role of nuclear it |
| rate of greenhouse gas which some governments | | | | confirmed "that nuclear is a low carbon |
| need to meet the standards of the Kyoto | | | | technology with an impressive safety record |
| Protocol. A few reactors are under | | | | in the UK" and "Nuclear could generate large |
| construction, and several new types of | | | | quantities of electricity, contribute to |
| reactors are planned. | | | | stabilising CO2 emissions and add to the |
| | | | diversity of the UK's energy supply." While |
| As of 2006 there are 442 licensed nuclear | | | | we have an impressive record of safety in the |
| power reactors in operation in the world, | | | | UK, Chernobyl has proved that a nuclear |
| operating in 31 different countries. Nuclear | | | | accident thousands of miles away can effect |
| power plants currently provide about 17 | | | | the UK for decades to come. The Tsunami also |
| percent of the world's electricity, yet how | | | | caused problems at Nuclear Power plants |
| much of the world's current and future | | | | around Asia as the plants are built near the |
| environmental problems does Nuclear Power | | | | sea due to the large amount of water needed |
| contribute to? Nuclear power has both | | | | to cool the rectors. Greenpeace has always |
| powerful enemies and friends but does the | | | | fought vigorously against nuclear power |
| bottom line come down to costs? The December | | | | because they believe that it is an |
| 2005 World Nuclear Association report The New | | | | unacceptable risk to the environment and to |
| Economics of Nuclear Power states that | | | | humanity and that the only solution is to |
| "Nuclear power is cost competitive with other | | | | halt the expansion of all nuclear power, and |
| forms of electricity generation, except where | | | | for the shutdown of existing plants. |