More Nuclear Power Plans Trashed

Posted on by
Print Friendly

 
After a spurt of nuclear news in the past week, we’ve got yet another story on the industry’s exit from the world energy stage — E.ON and RWE (German energy companies) announced yesterday that they are pulling out of a joint venture that would build a new nuclear power plant in the UK. Here are more details from AFP:

RWE, E.ON pull plug on UK nuclear power venture (via AFP)
Zachary Shahan (2291 Posts)

I'm the director of CleanTechnica, the most popular clean energy website in the world, and Planetsave, a leading green and science news site. I've been covering green news of various sorts since 2008, and I've been especially focused on solar energy, electric vehicles, bicycling, and wind energy for the past few years. You can also find my work on Scientific American, Reuters, Think Progress, GE's ecomagination site, several sites in the Important Media network, & many other places. To connect on your favorite social network, go to: zacharyshahan.com


  • Bob_Wallace

    If you’re interested in the economics of nuclear you might want to read this….

    http://www.mng.org.uk/gh/private/risks_of_nuclear_investment_published.pdf

    It’s written for people who might be thinking of investing in new nuclear. I think it does an excellent job of laying out the arguments and backs them up with many references.

  • ThomasGerke

    It’s fascinating how the statements echoed in the UK Press slightly differ from the statements made by E.Ons CEO in the German press:

    “We’ve come to the conclusion that investments in decentralized renewable energy sources & energy efficency are more attractive for us & the british customers”

    Mhh…

    • Bob_Wallace

      It’s kind of like facts in one country are also facts in another country….

    • http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan

      Yeah, I got the impression there was good effort to hide every anti-nuke/pro-decentralized energy they could.

      • ThomasGerke

        Indeed.
        Especially since E.On complained about the expansion of renewables endangering the profitability of new nuclear power plants in the UK back in 2010.

        This “warning” to the british government made quite some headlines in Germany, where the govenrment was pushing a lifetime extension for nuclear power stations and the Lobby pushing articles about how cheap nuclear truely is at the very same time.

    • Matt

      “E.ON wanted to focus on other more short-term strategic projects that delivered quicker benefits.”
      Or said another way
      Nuclear is too big a risk, there are smart ways to make energy and money.

      • http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan

        And that’s the story, morning glory. :D

        (Businesses aren’t going to throw their money down the drain forever.)

        • ThomasGerke

          When they did throw money down the drain, it was usually not their money… ;)