AARHUS / KALUNDBORG: - It is unrealistic, and it is illegal.
This is what the mayor of Aarhus, Anders Winnerskjold (S), says after the Liberal Alliance has presented a proposal to build two nuclear power plants in Denmark. According to the party, one of them will be located at the Studstrup power plant in Aarhus. The Liberal Alliance will find the money for the nuclear power plants by scrapping the upcoming offshore wind tender for 55.2 billion kroner. This is reported by TV 2 Østjylland.
But while the Aarhus mayor calls the idea “crazy”, the Liberal Alliance’s lead candidate in Aarhus, Michael Christensen, believes that it is time for Denmark to go the nuclear route.
- It is important that we can produce renewable energy, even when the sun is not shining, he says.
The Liberal Alliance proposes to build two nuclear power plants based on small modular reactors (SMR). One at the Studstrup power plant and one at the Asnæs power plant in Kalundborg. According to the party, the plants should be ready by 2040 at the latest. Today, nuclear power is banned in Denmark. The ban was adopted in 1985 and means that nuclear power must not be included in the country's energy planning.
- First we have to remove the ban on nuclear power, but otherwise it is the only real proposal for more green energy right now, explains Michael Christensen.
Kalundborg mayor pushes discussion to the corner
According to Hans Fynbo, who is a professor of nuclear physics at Aarhus University, the idea is technically possible to build in Denmark, as they are already building a similar SMR plant in Canada.
And Michael Christensen sees this development as proof that their proposal is "extremely realistic", as the production has already been made and ordered for Canada.
However, Anders Winnerskjold is far from convinced. He does not believe that a nuclear power plant makes sense in the Danish context. According to him, there are several forms of energy that can be tried first, which are cheaper and faster.
- In the world I live in, where we have to make concrete policies, this is not a good idea, says the Aarhus mayor.
While the mayor of Aarhus categorically rejects that an A-power plant should be located in the municipality, Kalundborg mayor Martin Damm (V) pushes the discussion to the side, as he does not believe it is relevant with the current legislation.
"I think the first step towards A-power is to make it legal in Denmark. It is a bit special to have to deal with the location of an illegal plant," the mayor writes in a text message to DOI.dk/DK Nyt.
Winnerskjold: No majority in the Folketing
By locating a nuclear power plant at the Studstrup power plant, the Liberal Alliance and Michael Christensen will work to both acquire green energy and at the same time make Aarhus a greener city.
- We will be free from having to plant our green areas with solar parks and wind turbines, he explains.
It is a challenge that Winnerskjold has in mind. He states that solar parks and wind turbines should always cause the least possible inconvenience. But what can you expect as a citizen of the area when such a proposal is presented? The mayor of Aarhus has an answer to that.
- I wouldn't be so worried about the proposal if it were me. It is unrealistic, says Anders Winnerskjold.
He points out that it is just a loose thought on the part of the Liberal Alliance, and emphasizes that there is no majority in the Folketing that is currently working for the proposal.
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