After years of decline, nuclear is surging back amid the ongoing energy crisis. Could it prove to be the solution to Europe’s deep-rooted energy  problems, caused mainly by Russia’s war with Ukriane?

Nuclear produced energy, once thought to be an unacceptable form of energy with risks that simply outweigh the benefits. Over 30 serious nuclear incidents have occurred at nuclear plants around the world since the early 1950s, with Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster stoking significant fears over safety.

For those in favor of nuclear investment, claim it represents a clean and efficient form of energy, with a smaller carbon footprint than both solar and geothermal alternatives. 

While Europe is bracing itself for a long, cold winter. Blackouts, gas shortages and unheated homes could well become a reality for millions across the continent in the months to come, as the ongoing energy crisis continues to escalate. Already grappling with skyrocketing bills, many families are fearful of what the winter will bring, while thousands of small businesses may be forced to close if they can’t keep up their energy payments.

Experts warn that by this January, two-thirds of UK households could be pushed into fuel poverty, with sustained higher prices set to impact families at all levels. Despite a package of planned government interventions, the outlook appears bleak. The energy crisis – exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine – shows no signs of abating as we head into the coldest months of the year.

The UK’s National Grid has cautioned that families could face daily three-hour blackouts, bringing back memories of the power cuts that plagued Britain in the early 1970s.

Europe remains largely dependent on imported oil and gas. Russia, the largest supplier of natural gas and petroleum oils to the EU, has cut its exports of gas to Europe by 88 percent over the past year. 

After years of scepticism and apprehension, countries around the world are now reassessing their position on nuclear power – persuaded by its potential to provide an efficient and reliable domestic source of energy in the long term.

Even the U.S. is softening its approach towards nuclear energy as older plants, once on the chopping block for closure and now being considered for a second life.

Now, a decade on from the Fukushima accident, public reservations on nuclear power look unlikely to deter its expansion. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has raised its projections for annual nuclear electricity generation, reflecting a significant shift on nuclear policy around the globe. 

Even Japan is unexpectedly at the very forefront of this nuclear revival, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announcing plans to restart a number of the country’s idled nuclear plants, and setting intentions to develop next-generation nuclear reactors. 

Europe, with its problems is expected follow suit. Germany is at the forefront  of reconsidering nuclear power. The country’s last three nuclear power stations were due to be permanently switched off in December, as part of plans to completely phase out nuclear energy by the end of 2022. Two of the three plants will now remain operational until at least mid-April, in order to provide an ‘emergency reserve’ this winter as the energy crisis rumbles on.

One of the strongest arguments for investing in nuclear power is that it grants nations greater energy security and independence – with France standing out as an obvious success story. Deriving almost 70 percent of its electricity from nuclear power.

Global events over the past year have had a substantial impact on the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), UN General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi said. As more countries turn to nuclear energy to meet their needs, especially in the face of energy shortages, the IAEA’s responsibility to ensure that nuclear technologies are safe, secure and peacefully used has only grown, said Mr. Kőrösi. 

He recalled that at the COP26 UN climate conference last year, “nuclear energy was high on the global climate agenda, and IAEA opened new opportunities of the use of nuclear techniques in tackling pollution and other environmental challenges”. 

Although his early presidency  French President Macron announced the shutdown of 14 reactors and intentions to cut nuclear’s contribution to France’s energy mix from 75% to 50% by 2035, the current energy crisis appears to have forced a reconsideration. The move may be politically prurient (France’s support for nuclear power has increased by 17 percentage points in the last two years) as much as one geared towards energy security, though it has not been without controversy.

As energy prices continue to surge and shortages place energy infrastructure under increasing pressure, France will now build at least six new nuclear reactors in the decades to come, President Emmanuel Macron said, placing nuclear power at the heart of his country’s drive for carbon neutrality by 2050.

The conflict comes down in no small part to classification and a singular question: what counts as renewable power? For proponents such as France, the Czech Republic, and Finland, nuclear power should be counted as green energy and thus be eligible for the same investment criteria as other renewable sources. In April, the European Commission incorporated hydropower into its criteria for clean power projects, previously left out for the environmental damage it can do, but nuclear’s place remains in question.

There is no doubt Europe is in the grip of an energy crisis amid rising prices for natural gas, increased demand for fossil fuels and the approach of the winter that will make access to fuel even more urgent.

The short-term alternative to nuclear is returning and expanding the use of coal. Recent protests by environmental activists splashed across media headline recently when thousands of people demonstrated to protest the clearance and demolition of a village in western Germany that is due to make way for the expansion of a coal mine. 

So, what about Wayne County’s Ginna Nuclear Plant?

Story continues on Page C8 in this week's edition