25 Years ago
What happened 25 years ago? We go back to news from our 1979 WISE Bulletin, comparing anti-nuclear news "then" and "now".
Then
In WISE Bulletin 5 we wrote about Danish protests against the Barsebäck reactors in Sweden: "Intense action has continued in Denmark since the announcement of the nuclear reactor accident in Harrisburg, USA. On April 6th 25,000 people demonstrated in solidarity with the people of Harrisburg and to demand the closing down of the Swedish reactors, 20 kilometers from Copenhagen". (WISE Bulletin 5, May/June 1979)
Now
After the Harrisburg accident, the Swedish government bowed to the demand for a national referendum on nuclear energy. The outcome of the referendum was the closure of the twelve reactors in Sweden, by no later than 2010. But this deadline is not very strong. It seems that the wish for a phase out still stands but that the deadline of 2010 was dropped in an energy policy revision by parliament in 1997. (Discussions on Nuclear Waste, Laka Foundation/H. Damveld, January 2000)
The government ordered the closure of Barsebäck-1 in 1998 and the reactor was closed down on 30 November 1999 (after 24 years of operation). The desired closure of Barsebäck-2 has been delayed several times and is no longer foreseen in the near future. (WISE/NIRS Nuclear Monitor, 11 January 2002; WISE News Communique, 2 July 1999)
The Swedish government still wants to realize a phase out plan, preferably in negotiation with the nuclear utilities. The official aim is an agreement based on the German model, setting finite amounts of electricity to be produced. But on a recent negotiation mission, government-appointed negotiator Bo Bylund failed to reach an agreement. The government appears willing to allow most of the reactors to operate for 40 years, but in return wants Barsebäck-2 to be closed earlier. The nuclear utilities, however, do not wish to include the early closure of this reactor in an agreement. (Nucleonics Week, 6 and 13 May 2004)
Without negotiation, the government can decide the matter through legislation ordering closure dates, but that is a long process. In that case, the closure of Barsebäck-2 will be postponed until at least the summer of 2005. (Email Per Hegelund, 14 May 2004)
If reactors are to be allowed to operate for 40 years, the last reactor will be closed by 2025 (both Forsmark-3 and Oskarshamn-3 started operation in 1985), long after the 2010 date stipulated by the referendum outcome. (www.iaea.org)
WISE-Amsterdam/NIRS
ISSN: 1570-4629
Reproduction of this material is encouraged. Please give credit when reprinting.
Editorial team: Tinu Otoki (WISE Amsterdam), Michael Mariotte (NIRS). With contributions from CORE, S.P. Udayakumar and WISE Russia.
Oops! We are a week late with this issue due to illnesses last week. In our last issue (609) we wrote in the front-page article ("Europe to unite against nuclear power") that a protest at Sosnony Bor "had been rejected as part of Russia's new anti protest laws". However, these law still has to be implemented and the demonstration was banned on other grounds. See also front-page article of this issue.
The next issue (611) will be mailed out June 11, 2004.