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Positive stress test results have been successful in calming anti-nuclear sentiments, following protests against nuclear energy that stemmed from the Fukushima disaster in March 2011, according to a new report by English energy research company GlobalData.
The industry reportindicates that the rigorous stress tests conducted by leading nuclear countries around the world following the disaster have allayed global concerns over the safety of nuclear power. Widespread positive results are thought to provide encouragement for developing countries, which will overlook marginal risks to meet increasing power demands and gain independence from expensive fossil fuels.
Several European countries have found their nuclear reactors are safe and comply with rigorous safety standards through the use of stress tests, which can highlight potential safety risks and suggest equipment upgrades for nuclear reactors. Positive stress test results act to calm concerns over the safety of nuclear generation.
Sweden operates ten nuclear reactors, which contribute around 42% to total electricity production in the country, but the Fukushima disaster acted to fuel anti-nuclear sentiments. The country’s nuclear reactors therefore underwent rigorous stress tests, which found that all operating reactors meet the safety requirements set by the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) and the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA).
Similarly, Germany relies heavily on 17 nuclear reactors, which generate a 22% share of the country’s electricity, and stress tests were conducted in order to verify their safety. German reactors were found to all surpass the ENSREG’s specifications and withstand all possible human risks, including terrorist attacks and aircraft crashes.
The success of recent stress tests conducted by technologically advanced countries is likely to encourage emerging countries to develop their nuclear power. Thirty countries around the world plan to utilize nuclear generation to meet their growing demands for power and to achieve energy security.
India, in particular, urgently needs to balance increasing energy production with carbon emission controls. Following the Fukushima disaster, widespread protests against nuclear power delayed the construction of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu, but stress tests conducted since have proved that Indian nuclear reactors are able to withstand natural disasters.
“The positive stress tests results are a step in the right direction in overcoming public mistrust of nuclear power generation”, notes Jennifer Santos, Head Consultant for Energy at GlobalData. “In a time of rising power consumption and demand for cleaner fuel sources, nuclear power’s importance cannot be ignored. The endorsement of stress results by a number of country governments and regulators will bring nuclear power back into the playing field”, adds Santos.
GlobalData’s analysis suggests that the implementation of awareness programs alongside stress tests could enlighten the public about nuclear power generation, and pacify remaining safety fears.
2 Comments
Angeli Alvares
Positive stress results have closed down all of Japan’s nuclear power plants. Whom are you trying to fool with your hocus pocus information. Your info about nuclear to grow in India is a wild dream you have to wake up from cause it’s giving us people from India BIG NIGHTMARES! Why should we go with deadly and dangerous nuclear power plants when we have Gigawatts of sunshine energy that could power the whole world with FREE FUEL from the sun? Wake up and smell the coffee. You can keep all the old soon to be decommissioned nuclear power plants from the U.S. and other developed countries for yourself. India is not a dumping ground for recycled nuclear plants nor is it interested in new nuclear plants. We are going full steam into Solar, wind, hydro and tidal energies. So save your propaganda for someone else who is just interested in gossip.
Johnny K
Solar is still not Viable in Australia even with rebate. The technology is still too inefficient. When I can disconnect from the mains grid and run my house on Solar alone then I will be commit to using solar panels.