GREENPEACE APPLAUDS FIRST STEP OF NUCLEAR PHASE-OUT IN SWEDEN

STOCKHOLM, February 4th, 1997

Greenpeace applauds the long-awaited decision by the Swedish Government to start the phase-out of nuclear power.(1) The decision to close the first reactor by 1998 and the second one during the next mandate period is only a logical consequence of a democratic process during which the Swedish people voted in favour of leaving the dead-end road of nuclear power.

The 12 nuclear reactors currently operating in Sweden generate approximately half of the country's electricity. This makes Sweden one of the most nuclearised countries in the world. Greenpeace strongly refutes the claim made by the nuclear lobbyists that the progressive closure of the nuclear power stations will result in an economic nightmare.

A scientific analysis of the Swedish energy situation by the authoritative Institute for Applied Ecology, which will be released soon by Greenpeace, demonstrates that a complete nuclear phase-out is both technically feasible and economically viable. The eco-scenario in this analysis foresees the shut-down of all nuclear power plants between 1998 and 2008. The reduced generation of electricity is compensated for by a mix of existing power plants, an improvement of energy efficiency, a rapid modernization of cogeneration systems and the expansion of biomass and wind energy.(2)

Phasing out nuclear power is not a technical nor an economic problem, it only depends on the political will of the policy makers. "We are proud that, in spite of hard pressure from the nuclear industry, our Government took this brave and rightful decision", said Dennis Pamlin of Greenpeace Sweden. "Nuclear power is obsolete. The energy technologies of the next century will use new materials, lightweight metals, micro-computers, silicon film, arrays of semi-conductors and new electric filament; they run on wind, sunlight, ocean waves and organic gas."

Sweden has a huge potential for increasing its energy efficiency, for example by replacing its inefficient electric heating systems by district heating. Moreover, there is an enormous unused potential of renewable energy sources. A shift from the very capital-intensive nuclear supply towards the implementation of energy-efficient demand-side technologies and renewable energy sources will have positive effects on the overall competitiveness of the Swedish industry, on the creation of new jobs and on the environment.

"The sensible decision to start the nuclear phase-out in Sweden is another illustration of the steady decline of a nuclear industry which is uneconomic, dangerous, polluting and uperfluous. Today 14 out of 15 Member States of the European Union are either nuclear free, intend to become nuclear free or have abandoned any plans to build new nuclear power plants in the foreseeable future", said Eloi Glorieux of Greenpeace International.

Notes:

(1) The first reactors to be closed are reported to be Barseback units 1 and 2, near Malmo. These 600 MWe Boiling Water Reactors were started-up in 1975 and 1977 and are operated by Sydkraft, which owned for over 50% by PreussenElectra (Ger) and Statkraft (Nor).

(2) Uwe R. Fritsche, e.a.: "A New Energy Policy For Sweden: Options and Implications of a Rapid Nuclear Phase-Out., prepared by the Oko-Institut (Institute for Applied Ecology), Energy Division and commissioned by Greenpeace-Sweden.

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