How helpful or dangerous are mini reactors?

by time news

NDespite the declared move away from Russian gas and oil, the federal government is still sticking to the end of Isar 2, Emsland and Neckarwestheim 2 by the end of this year. But there are already discussions in many places about extending the service life of the three remaining nuclear reactors. The three reactors that were shut down at the end of 2021 could still be reactivated as long as no dismantling permit has been granted. “Germany must not close its eyes to a debate that is being conducted all over the world,” demanded Finance Minister Lindner (FDP) in a tabloid this week, advising that the arguments for and against nuclear energy should be put on the table without prejudice. In fact, a representative survey by the market and social research institute INSA revealed that 50 percent of Germans apparently consider a return to nuclear power generation to be sensible. However, the majority of the 1001 respondents is also against the construction of new nuclear reactors.

While a revival of nuclear energy is highly unlikely in Germany – despite what appears to be widespread approval – many other countries continue to rely on nuclear energy production. Around fifty new nuclear power plants are currently under construction, and a large number are in the planning stage – especially in China, where nuclear power is heavily relied on alongside renewables, followed by Russia and the United States. Power reactors are also under construction in Egypt and Turkey, and nuclear energy is also experiencing a renaissance in many European countries: England, for example, wants to build six new power plants and increase the proportion of nuclear power from 16 to 25 percent. France and Finland are also expanding. The Netherlands want to keep their almost 50-year-old reactor in Borrsele running and are planning two new nuclear power plants, Poland its first, and Belgium, Italy and Sweden want to go back to the technology that they had already said goodbye to.

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