PARIS — Switzerland freezes plans to build new nuclear plants, Germany raises questions about its nuclear future, and opposition to atomic-reactor construction mounts from Turkey to South Africa.
Will explosions and other worries at a tsunami-stricken Japanese nuclear plant halt what has come to be known as the nuclear renaissance? Fears about nuclear safety that took a generation to overcome after the accidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island are resurfacing around the globe. They are casting new doubt on a controversial energy source that has seen a resurgence in recent years, amid worries over volatile oil prices and global warming.
“Europe has to wake up from its ‘Sleeping Beauty’ slumber” about nuclear safety, Austrian Environment Minister Nikolaus Berlakovich told reporters in Brussels. He suggested an EU-wide stress test for nuclear plants, much as European banks have been tested for their ability to cope with financial shocks.
Yet some experts and officials say those fears are overblown, given the exceptional nature of Japan’s earthquake and ensuing tsunami. The Japanese blasts may slow the push for more nuclear plants but appear unlikely to stop it, given the world’s fast-growing energy needs. Elsewhere:
• Russia, China, Poland and earthquake-prone Chile say they are sticking with plans to build more reactors.
• Switzerland ordered a freeze on new plants or replacements “until safety standards have been … reviewed.”
• Germany is suspending a decision to extend the life of nuclear plants.
