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Interesting to see this comment downvoted because I believe it is true. Most European countries are looking for alternatives and nuclear power generation is he

by dudul 8y ago

Interesting to see this comment downvoted because I believe it is true. Most European countries are looking for alternatives and nuclear power generation is heavily criticized there.

oytis 8y ago
There are looking, sure, but at the same time investing in projects in fossil fuels like Nord Stream. And fossil fuels are less environment friendly than nuclear power. To me this anti-nuclear sentiment in Europe looks like pure populism.
chriswarbo 8y ago
> Most European countries are looking for alternatives and nuclear power generation is heavily criticized there. I'm not sure about "most". Germany is certainly phasing out nuclear. France has relied extensively on nuclear for decades, and it's a large export industry for them, so I'm not sure what the general sentiment is (a quick Google search didn't find anything conclusive). Here in the UK there does seem to be a general anti-nuclear sentiment (e.g. the (tiny minority) Green Party want to phase it out). We are building new nuclear, like Hinkley Point C, but they're unpopular mostly due to bureaucracy and financial nonsense (the vested interests and brinkmanship over the contract seems like a test run for the current farce over Brexit negotiations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkley_Point_C_nuclear_power_station#Timeline https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkley_Point_C_nuclear_power_... !).
- dudul 8y ago
  France heavily relies on nuclear that's true, but it is trying to find an alternative as old centrals are more expensive to maintain.
- hwillis 8y ago
  France is shutting down most of their plants in the coming decades, and Switzerland is shutting a few down too. Nuclear is genuinely facing a lot of opposition in Europe, particularly due to rising costs. In many cases popular sentiment is a driving force too though. That's probably the case in Switzerland (direct democracy) where there were a couple notable accidents right before a referendum. Bad timing and not really terribly newsworthy, but it really damaged public opinion.
  - cm2187 8y ago
    I don't think it's cost. Merkel took the decision to exit nuclear energy after very little thinking following Fukushima. Building a single nuclear power plant is very expensive. Building 20 in a row is cheap (+ the ever changing regulations).
lostmsu 8y ago
Because following a trend is your only argument. I can see how restoring good fame to nuclear power can improve our chances to see fusion in our lifespans. And fusion, basically, is the best.

by dudul 8y ago

Interesting to see this comment downvoted because I believe it is true. Most European countries are looking for alternatives and nuclear power generation is heavily criticized there.

oytis 8y ago

There are looking, sure, but at the same time investing in projects in fossil fuels like Nord Stream. And fossil fuels are less environment friendly than nuclear power. To me this anti-nuclear sentiment in Europe looks like pure populism.

chriswarbo 8y ago

> Most European countries are looking for alternatives and nuclear power generation is heavily criticized there. I'm not sure about "most". Germany is certainly phasing out nuclear. France has relied extensively on nuclear for decades, and it's a large export industry for them, so I'm not sure what the general sentiment is (a quick Google search didn't find anything conclusive). Here in the UK there does seem to be a general anti-nuclear sentiment (e.g. the (tiny minority) Green Party want to phase it out). We are building new nuclear, like Hinkley Point C, but they're unpopular mostly due to bureaucracy and financial nonsense (the vested interests and brinkmanship over the contract seems like a test run for the current farce over Brexit negotiations https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkley_Point_C_nuclear_power_station#Timeline https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinkley_Point_C_nuclear_power_... !).

dudul 8y ago
France heavily relies on nuclear that's true, but it is trying to find an alternative as old centrals are more expensive to maintain.
hwillis 8y ago
France is shutting down most of their plants in the coming decades, and Switzerland is shutting a few down too. Nuclear is genuinely facing a lot of opposition in Europe, particularly due to rising costs. In many cases popular sentiment is a driving force too though. That's probably the case in Switzerland (direct democracy) where there were a couple notable accidents right before a referendum. Bad timing and not really terribly newsworthy, but it really damaged public opinion.
- cm2187 8y ago
  I don't think it's cost. Merkel took the decision to exit nuclear energy after very little thinking following Fukushima. Building a single nuclear power plant is very expensive. Building 20 in a row is cheap (+ the ever changing regulations).

lostmsu 8y ago

Because following a trend is your only argument. I can see how restoring good fame to nuclear power can improve our chances to see fusion in our lifespans. And fusion, basically, is the best.