Nuclear power: cost explosion and doubts about the new building in Freistadt!

Nuclear power: cost explosion and doubts about the new building in Freistadt!

Despite critical voices, nuclear energy remains a recurring topic in the debate about the energy transition. Loud Econews it continues to be considered as a potential contribution to Europe's energy supply. In particular, the European Commission has forecast investments amounting to 241 billion euros that will have to be raised by the member states. These investments are mainly focused on expanding existing nuclear facilities.

However, the Anti-Nuclear Committee in Freistadt expresses clear doubts about these considerations. The organization sees the renovation, decommissioning and disposal costs for nuclear waste, which are estimated at up to 770 billion euros, as financially burdensome. Gerold Wagner, a critic of nuclear power, points out that previous nuclear projects often exceeded original estimates, which could have a negative impact on renewable energy financing.

Financing and attractiveness for investors

Private investors find nuclear power unattractive, particularly due to its high costs. The aim is to provide the necessary financial resources directly from the EU budget, but this has not yet been realized. In addition, a delay in financing could lead to additional costs. The World Bank plans to lift a ban on financing nuclear projects to help developing countries meet their electricity needs, but financial conditions for nuclear power in poorer countries appear to remain problematic.

Another point of discussion is Small Modular Reactors (SMR). Although these are presented as an attractive solution, their development presents new dependencies and problems with regard to nuclear waste. The Anti Nuclear Committee describes this technology as a new form of colonialism and instead calls for better support for developing countries with solar panels and storage, which are described as cheaper and more sustainable.

Criticism of the IAEA and historical reviews

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also faced criticism, particularly for its ignorance of political instability in developing countries. This situation increases the risk of radioactive materials falling into the wrong hands. Historical reviews show that failures of plutonium breeder reactors were announced as early as the 1950s, the economic potential of which was once described by experts such as Glenn T. Seaborg as a cornerstone of future energy production.

Current energy and climate scenarios predict a sharp increase in nuclear power production by 2050, even though the share of nuclear energy in global power generation has been steadily declining since 1996. The IAEA has a vested interest in maintaining a positive outlook for nuclear energy, but technological breakthroughs in this area are currently not in sight.

With the transition to renewable energies, which are now cheaper than nuclear power, many questions arise about the actual necessity and financing of new nuclear power projects. There is a risk that money will flow into nuclear energy while the basis for sustainable and economically viable energy sources continues to be ignored.

In summary, the debate about nuclear energy is associated with complex challenges and far-reaching consequences that affect both the financing and the strategic direction of future energy projects.