Since 1985, Danish legislation has made it impossible to produce nuclear power in Denmark. But that must end now, if the governing Moderate party has its way.
- We are willing to lift the ban on nuclear power, says the party's climate spokesman, Henrik Frandsen.
The debate about nuclear power has created great emotions and debate for several decades. When the decision to ban this form of energy was made in the 1980s, it was against a backdrop of fears of radioactive disasters and major public protests. Since then, the debate has developed significantly and today is largely about profitability. The discussion is about whether it is too expensive, slow and incompatible with Denmark's energy system.
Henrik Frandsen and the Moderates are experiencing that nuclear power supporters have gained momentum, and that a lot of time is spent debating the theoretical possibilities that nuclear power can create. The climate rapporteur feels that the debate is intensified by the fact that the technology is banned, which steals focus from the real possibilities for the Danish transition.
The party's proposal should therefore be seen as an opportunity to take the power out of the increasing nuclear power flow.
- The fact that we constantly have to discuss nuclear power again and again means that we lose focus on expanding renewable energy. We still believe that the right way to base future electricity production in Denmark is with solar, wind and biogas, says Henrik Frandsen.
Several bourgeois parties have called for a ban on nuclear power in recent years. The Conservatives, the Liberal Alliance and the Danish People's Party regularly bring the issue to the table. The Moderates are not against nuclear power in principle, and if it proves relevant for Denmark one day in the future, there should be no old, legal obstacles.
The proposal should therefore allow nuclear power to compete with solar, wind and biomass - even though Henrik Frandsen believes that the technology will lose.
- We are open to giving nuclear power a place on an equal footing with all sorts of other technologies in the competition. There are different forms of energy. But we do not see nuclear power as something that is realistic now, and we are not about to have to build nuclear power plants.
Both Danish authorities such as the Danish Energy Agency and the advisory body the Climate Council have regularly analysed that nuclear power is not necessary in Denmark to create security of supply with green energy production. Wind, solar and a backup of biomass and gas can ensure a green electricity system with very few interruptions, it says.
This is also the rationale that the Moderates adhere to before the issue would have to be clarified in the three-party government. Here, the Social Democrats in particular have been opposed to nuclear power. The Danish Chamber of Commerce welcomes debate on nuclear power. But they do not see it as having an important role for Denmark.
- The debate must of course be based on facts. In this regard, we must bear in mind that a-power is expensive and takes a very long time to build. In a Danish context, with good conditions for renewable energy, the relevance of a-power is therefore limited, says Ulrich Bang, deputy director of the Danish Chamber of Commerce.
jel /ritzau/
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