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I've been following this story a bit and here's what I've noticed: 1. The causes seem to vary depending on who you ask. There seems to be a combination of CO2

I've been following this story a bit and here's what I've noticed: 1. The causes seem to vary depending on who you ask. There seems to be a combination of CO2 taxes going up, a hard winter last year that diminished the strategic reserves, incompetent (corrupt?) gov't institutions that didn't replenish them in summer this year, combined with a general trend of relying more on gas and less on coal (and nuclear to some extent). 2. The EU came down with a heavy hand on coal producing countries... which does make sense, climate change is an issue. However, this is going to disproportionately hit the poorer countries in the block, those that still relied on antiquated coal burning power plants. Germany has Nord Stream + some investment in renewables, so they don't care much, France is mostly nuclear, so again, they don't care, Italy and Spain are warmer countries that could get fine through winter. Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia etc. where coal plants were closed will be hit the worst by this. 3. The EU doesn't negotiate as a block on gas prices. Each country deals with Russia individually – e.g. Nord Stream being built between Germany and Russia. That also means that the smaller countries are at the biggest disadvantage, or are reliant on either Germany's or Russia's benevolence in dictating gas prices.

Daniel_sk 5y ago
2) Slovakia will be launching 2 new reactor blocks (Mochovce 3 and 4), one by end of year and next one within 2 years. Even the existing two blocks create 84% of our energy and with the next two we will become energy independent. Adding those two blocks equals about 2 milion personal car emission "saved" compared to having same amount produced by coal power plants. And that's just one power plant for whole country of 5.5 million. Fortunately we didn't go the German route and we also get a lot of pressure from Austria to shut down our power plant (even though it passed all strict checks and is a very safe design). Last coal mine will be closed in 2027, but most of them already sooner.
- sentinel 5y ago
  Thanks for this perspective – I was not aware of this. Definitely a good idea and I'm personally happy to see a resurgence in nuclear as a green solution to the climate issue.
- johnchristopher 5y ago
  When did Slovakia begin to build those reactors ? Trying to compare with Belgium. Who is building them and for how long are there planned to run ? How much did it cost ?
  - angelzen 5y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochovce_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochovce_Nuclear_Power_Plant > power plant consisting of four VVER 440/V-213 pressurized water reactors [Russian] > Construction of Units 3 and 4 restarted in November 2008. They were planned initially to be completed in 2012 and 2013,[2] but the completion date was shifted to 2016 and 2017.[3] More recently the completion date has slipped to 2020 and 2022. > [Reactor 1 & 2 have a 60 year commercial lifetime] https://www.reuters.com/article/slovakia-nuclear/update-1-slovakias-mochovce-plant-moves-closer-to-starting-new-reactor-idUSL8N2N033C https://www.reuters.com/article/slovakia-nuclear/update-1-sl... > Estimates from 2019 put the cost at nearly 5.7 billion euros ($6.89 billion).
- qayxc 5y ago
  > Fortunately we didn't go the German route You're missing the fact that all German nuclear power plants are already beyond their initial lifespan and that there simply has been no renewal of operation licenses. No new reactors have been built since the mid-1980s so this isn't exactly a recent trend. The same applies to France, btw. The newest reactor in France started construction in 2007(!) and is expected to become operational in 2023(!). The next newest French reactor started construction in 1991... So much for the state of nuclear power in the world's posterchild of nuclear power.
  - chelical 5y ago
    And yet France still has half the CO2 emissions per capita of Germany and significantly cheaper energy.
    - qayxc 5y ago
      The electricity costs are >90% taxes, though and Germany's industrial output is also significantly higher than France's. Per capita calculations are therefore flawed from the very start and not a useful metric. Looking at actual data reveals a clear trend: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a1i2y40rtyg7s3p/AAAjxiD5DhvWmcyK2Q8JxX46a?dl=0&preview=15+changes+by+country%402x.png https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a1i2y40rtyg7s3p/AAAjxiD5DhvWmcyK2... France's electricity production from nuclear shrinks similarly year-on-year to Germany's reduction in electricity production from coal. Also no new reactors have been built in France in over a decade. Make of that what you will.
  - empiricus 5y ago
    it seems that we become too dumb to build nuclear stations. this is worrying
    - pyrale 5y ago
      More like anti-nuclear groups are extremely effective at FUD, and don't fear lying to people. They have literally used every dirty trick in the book to kill commercial nuclear policies. For instance, a large majority of french people believe that nuclear contributes to global warming [1]. Of course, if you freeze an industry for 20 years, there is going to be some loss of knowledge and know-how. [1]: https://www.bva-group.com/sondages/francais-nucleaire-sondage-bva-orano/ https://www.bva-group.com/sondages/francais-nucleaire-sondag...
- dx034 5y ago
  According to Wikipedia, the existing blocks create only 20% of the electricity needed, so this should only go to about 40%? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochovce_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochovce_Nuclear_Power_Plant
qwytw 5y ago
Coal is still the source of 20 to 30% of all energy used in Germany, I doubt they don't care.
- sentinel 5y ago
  Fair – I suppose my point is that they've set themselves up for an out better than others have.
- Lammy 5y ago
  Germany has a lot of coal, so no need to import. That's why it was German chemists who invented both the first chemical process to convert coal to usable liquid gasoline, and to convert CO gas (state of matter) to liquid gasoline: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergius_process https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergius_process https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer%E2%80%93Tropsch_process https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer%E2%80%93Tropsch_proces... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_liquefaction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_liquefaction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_fuel#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_fuel#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_campaign_of_World_War_II https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_campaign_of_World_War_II https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_to_liquids https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_to_liquids Also the reason why France occupied that region of Germany after World War 1, and then hilariously also again after World War 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saarland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saarland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territory_of_the_Saar_Basin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territory_of_the_Saar_Basin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935_Saar_status_referendum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935_Saar_status_referendum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saar_Protectorate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saar_Protectorate
pornel 5y ago
Poland is in a tough spot politically. Dependence on Russia is a touchy topic, but now there's also a rising anti-EU sentiment from the populist-nationalist government. If something is seen as EU/Western middling then Poland will double-down on doing the opposite (in this case rejecting renewables in favor of coal with plans for nuclear), and still blame the EU for it.
Jiejeing 5y ago
France is mostly nuclear, but most of the heating is using natural gas (it has gone up more than 30% in price this year alone for consumers).
- llsf 5y ago
  Do we have data on this? I am surprised that "most of the heating is using natural gas" in France. In France, my parents last 3 houses (i.e. since 1986) have been all 100% electric. The one from 1986 had a gas stove though, but based on gas bottle. Beside that all electric including the oven and washer/dryer.
  - Jiejeing 5y ago
    It is generally not the case in modern construction or outside cities (because you need "gaz de ville" otherwise it is a real pain, and that is infrastructure). This 2015 document indicates 39% natural gas in heating, and 35% electricity https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/3280930/Enviro17b_D1_Facture-energie.pdf https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/3280930/Enviro1.... I am currently living in an old city house with gas available for both heating and cooking. In big cities like Paris I believe it is discouraged even when available due to the risks and housing density.
    - llsf 5y ago
      Awesome! Thanks for digging that document, it is really interesting. I guess my parents living in suburbs, residential area basically meant to use electricity over gas. It would be interesting to see if this current shortage, is going to accelerate the transition to electricity. Although retrofitting older building might be very expansive. But if gas price continues to increase like it did in the past few months, it would change the equation for some.
sytelus 5y ago
I read in the news that there is plenty of fuel available but no truck drivers to transport it. UK is offering 3000+ emergency visa for truck drivers. The labor supply for truck drivers suddenly dissapeared but we have no idea why.
- Strom 5y ago
  > The labor supply for truck drivers suddenly dissapeared but we have no idea why. Brexit seems like a good guess, and indeed it's what many are pointing to. Companies also blame Brexit, pointing out that 15,000 European truck drivers left the UK in the last year. [...] Willmotts had a steady supply of drivers from eastern Europe over the last two decades. But last year, that all changed. When the pandemic struck and European trade slowed down, drivers were furloughed. Many went back to their home countries, to be with family. "Since the effects of Brexit, they haven't wanted to come back," explained Mr Gray. "They can earn just as much in Germany, France or Poland, so there's no real need to be in the UK." [1] More concretely brexit makes the job more tedious. Truck drivers don't want to fill out endless paperwork and sit in a queue at customs, but that's exactly what brexit has generously provided. -- [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-57656327 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-57656327
  - lotsofpulp 5y ago
    The whole goal of Brexit was to allow British people to be able to compete as truckers, and hence truckers now need to get paid as British nationals expect to be paid.

Daniel_sk 5y ago

2) Slovakia will be launching 2 new reactor blocks (Mochovce 3 and 4), one by end of year and next one within 2 years. Even the existing two blocks create 84% of our energy and with the next two we will become energy independent. Adding those two blocks equals about 2 milion personal car emission "saved" compared to having same amount produced by coal power plants. And that's just one power plant for whole country of 5.5 million. Fortunately we didn't go the German route and we also get a lot of pressure from Austria to shut down our power plant (even though it passed all strict checks and is a very safe design). Last coal mine will be closed in 2027, but most of them already sooner.

sentinel 5y ago
Thanks for this perspective – I was not aware of this. Definitely a good idea and I'm personally happy to see a resurgence in nuclear as a green solution to the climate issue.
johnchristopher 5y ago
When did Slovakia begin to build those reactors ? Trying to compare with Belgium. Who is building them and for how long are there planned to run ? How much did it cost ?
- angelzen 5y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochovce_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochovce_Nuclear_Power_Plant > power plant consisting of four VVER 440/V-213 pressurized water reactors [Russian] > Construction of Units 3 and 4 restarted in November 2008. They were planned initially to be completed in 2012 and 2013,[2] but the completion date was shifted to 2016 and 2017.[3] More recently the completion date has slipped to 2020 and 2022. > [Reactor 1 & 2 have a 60 year commercial lifetime] https://www.reuters.com/article/slovakia-nuclear/update-1-slovakias-mochovce-plant-moves-closer-to-starting-new-reactor-idUSL8N2N033C https://www.reuters.com/article/slovakia-nuclear/update-1-sl... > Estimates from 2019 put the cost at nearly 5.7 billion euros ($6.89 billion).
qayxc 5y ago
> Fortunately we didn't go the German route You're missing the fact that all German nuclear power plants are already beyond their initial lifespan and that there simply has been no renewal of operation licenses. No new reactors have been built since the mid-1980s so this isn't exactly a recent trend. The same applies to France, btw. The newest reactor in France started construction in 2007(!) and is expected to become operational in 2023(!). The next newest French reactor started construction in 1991... So much for the state of nuclear power in the world's posterchild of nuclear power.
- chelical 5y ago
  And yet France still has half the CO2 emissions per capita of Germany and significantly cheaper energy.
  - qayxc 5y ago
    The electricity costs are >90% taxes, though and Germany's industrial output is also significantly higher than France's. Per capita calculations are therefore flawed from the very start and not a useful metric. Looking at actual data reveals a clear trend: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a1i2y40rtyg7s3p/AAAjxiD5DhvWmcyK2Q8JxX46a?dl=0&preview=15+changes+by+country%402x.png https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a1i2y40rtyg7s3p/AAAjxiD5DhvWmcyK2... France's electricity production from nuclear shrinks similarly year-on-year to Germany's reduction in electricity production from coal. Also no new reactors have been built in France in over a decade. Make of that what you will.
- empiricus 5y ago
  it seems that we become too dumb to build nuclear stations. this is worrying
  - pyrale 5y ago
    More like anti-nuclear groups are extremely effective at FUD, and don't fear lying to people. They have literally used every dirty trick in the book to kill commercial nuclear policies. For instance, a large majority of french people believe that nuclear contributes to global warming [1]. Of course, if you freeze an industry for 20 years, there is going to be some loss of knowledge and know-how. [1]: https://www.bva-group.com/sondages/francais-nucleaire-sondage-bva-orano/ https://www.bva-group.com/sondages/francais-nucleaire-sondag...
dx034 5y ago
According to Wikipedia, the existing blocks create only 20% of the electricity needed, so this should only go to about 40%? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochovce_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochovce_Nuclear_Power_Plant

qwytw 5y ago

Coal is still the source of 20 to 30% of all energy used in Germany, I doubt they don't care.

sentinel 5y ago
Fair – I suppose my point is that they've set themselves up for an out better than others have.
Lammy 5y ago
Germany has a lot of coal, so no need to import. That's why it was German chemists who invented both the first chemical process to convert coal to usable liquid gasoline, and to convert CO gas (state of matter) to liquid gasoline: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergius_process https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergius_process https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer%E2%80%93Tropsch_process https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fischer%E2%80%93Tropsch_proces... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_liquefaction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_liquefaction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_fuel#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_fuel#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_campaign_of_World_War_II https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_campaign_of_World_War_II https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_to_liquids https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_to_liquids Also the reason why France occupied that region of Germany after World War 1, and then hilariously also again after World War 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saarland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saarland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territory_of_the_Saar_Basin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territory_of_the_Saar_Basin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935_Saar_status_referendum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935_Saar_status_referendum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saar_Protectorate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saar_Protectorate

pornel 5y ago

Poland is in a tough spot politically. Dependence on Russia is a touchy topic, but now there's also a rising anti-EU sentiment from the populist-nationalist government. If something is seen as EU/Western middling then Poland will double-down on doing the opposite (in this case rejecting renewables in favor of coal with plans for nuclear), and still blame the EU for it.

Jiejeing 5y ago

France is mostly nuclear, but most of the heating is using natural gas (it has gone up more than 30% in price this year alone for consumers).

llsf 5y ago
Do we have data on this? I am surprised that "most of the heating is using natural gas" in France. In France, my parents last 3 houses (i.e. since 1986) have been all 100% electric. The one from 1986 had a gas stove though, but based on gas bottle. Beside that all electric including the oven and washer/dryer.
- Jiejeing 5y ago
  It is generally not the case in modern construction or outside cities (because you need "gaz de ville" otherwise it is a real pain, and that is infrastructure). This 2015 document indicates 39% natural gas in heating, and 35% electricity https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/3280930/Enviro17b_D1_Facture-energie.pdf https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/3280930/Enviro1.... I am currently living in an old city house with gas available for both heating and cooking. In big cities like Paris I believe it is discouraged even when available due to the risks and housing density.
  - llsf 5y ago
    Awesome! Thanks for digging that document, it is really interesting. I guess my parents living in suburbs, residential area basically meant to use electricity over gas. It would be interesting to see if this current shortage, is going to accelerate the transition to electricity. Although retrofitting older building might be very expansive. But if gas price continues to increase like it did in the past few months, it would change the equation for some.

sytelus 5y ago

I read in the news that there is plenty of fuel available but no truck drivers to transport it. UK is offering 3000+ emergency visa for truck drivers. The labor supply for truck drivers suddenly dissapeared but we have no idea why.

Strom 5y ago
> The labor supply for truck drivers suddenly dissapeared but we have no idea why. Brexit seems like a good guess, and indeed it's what many are pointing to. Companies also blame Brexit, pointing out that 15,000 European truck drivers left the UK in the last year. [...] Willmotts had a steady supply of drivers from eastern Europe over the last two decades. But last year, that all changed. When the pandemic struck and European trade slowed down, drivers were furloughed. Many went back to their home countries, to be with family. "Since the effects of Brexit, they haven't wanted to come back," explained Mr Gray. "They can earn just as much in Germany, France or Poland, so there's no real need to be in the UK." [1] More concretely brexit makes the job more tedious. Truck drivers don't want to fill out endless paperwork and sit in a queue at customs, but that's exactly what brexit has generously provided. -- [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-57656327 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-57656327
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  The whole goal of Brexit was to allow British people to be able to compete as truckers, and hence truckers now need to get paid as British nationals expect to be paid.