Nuclear: Stop Fake News!

Around a coffee, in the family or friendly setting, which has not heard daring affirmations on nuclear? Nevertheless, Since the Federal Councilor Albert Rösti has promoted a revival of this energy. Furthermore, the idea that it would be clean, affordable or at hand has won the field. Furthermore. However, To look more closely, it is on fake news and the techno-solutionist phantasms that rests the revival of this industry.

“It’s the spring of nuclear!”: False – Nuclear: stop fake news! – Nuclear: stop fake news! new

Since 2000, the nuclear share in the world supply of electricity increased from 16.6% in 2000 to 9.1% in 2023. Moreover, During the same period, renewables rose from 19 to 30%. Therefore, In Switzerland between 2000 and 2023, nuclear has increased from 40% to 35% and renewables from 60 to 65%. Furthermore, It nuclear: stop fake news! new is therefore the spring of renewables and the fall of nuclear.

“The nuclear nuclear: stop fake news! Moreover, mini-reactors are the future”: false – Nuclear: stop fake news! new

There is no mini-reactor (SMR) in operation proving that this technology would. Nevertheless, be viable. Moreover, Smaller does not mean cheaper and faults (waste, accident) would be the same as for large power plants. Similarly, Better to invest in effective and already accessible solutions.

“Germany revives coal”: false – Nuclear: stop fake news!

Germany develops its renewable capacities at such a rate that the exit from nuclear. Moreover, ended in 2022, is coupled with an output plan of the current fossils. Meanwhile, The outing of the coal would be faster by maintaining nuclear. In addition, but it is a decrease in the share of the coal which is observed. In addition, In Switzerland. Additionally, In addition, the replacement of nuclear is planned with control of consumption and nuclear: stop fake news! new a development of renewables, not with gas or coal.

“Nuclear is independence”: false

Uranium ore is imported from countries vulnerable to geopolitical tensions. Consequently, The ore must nuclear: stop fake news! be enriched. it is Russia that provides us with half of the Swiss Uranium -enriched Uranium needs! Swiss nuclear therefore finances Putin’s war in Ukraine. On the contrary, renewables work without fossil or radioactive fuel, feeding with solar radiation, gravity (hydro) and wind!

“Without nuclear. it’s blackout”: false

The closure of the Mühleberg power station was more than offset by the development of solar in Switzerland. which reached 10% of production in 2023, which allowed Switzerland to export more electricity than it imported. The energy turning point secures energy supply! Thanks to alpine storage capacities, the solar, wind and hydraulic combination will provide a supply of twelve months a year.

“Thorium power plants are the future”: false

There is nuclear: stop fake news! new no central prototype with thorium in working order today. Research is underway to one day lead to thorium nuclear power plants without risk of accident. which use and reduce the duration nuclear: stop fake news! of toxicity of waste accumulated so far. If this technology is born. it will be more expensive than current nuclear and, at best, will develop on the fringes. Better to invest in effective and already accessible solutions.

“The Spanish breakdown is due to solar”: false

On April 28, Spain underwent the consequences of a generalized power failure. At that time, the country exported electricity to France. Countries like Denmark. Germany can reach up to more than 90% of renewables in their electricity mix on days of high production, without failure.

The report of the Spanish government survey concluded a problem of overvoltage of the network which has nothing to. do with renewables.

“Nuclear is cheaper”: nuclear: stop fake news! new false

According to the Government Agency for Information on the Energy of the United States (USEIA). a country known to be pronuclear. but straddling the truth of prices, the electricity provided by a new nuclear nuclear: stop fake news! power plant costs more than double ($ 110/MWh) of electricity from a renewable power station (solar: 55 dollars/MWh. ionic wind: 40 dollars/mWh). USEIA also provides that, by 2050, the cost of nuclear will remain stable and that of renewables will decrease by 50%. This calculation includes the costs added to construction. fuel during the lifespan of the installation, but does not include dismantling, which would worsen the cost of nuclear. Nuclear is not an economically competitive energy.

“Nuclear is safe”: false

The Japanese, like us today, were convinced to have the safest power plants. After Fukushima, they had to recognize that the warnings were founded! To pretend to be better than nuclear: stop fake news! new the Russians. that the Japanese is to do like them is to continue the game of Russian roulette by saying that. there is no ball. In Switzerland, there is no ocean to which the bulk of the cloud of nuclear: stop fake news! radioactivity could evacuate. The materials of our power plants age. weaken. disaster is possible at any time and would occur in the most densely populated and built part of the country!

“The question of waste is settled”: false

The industry cannot guarantee that nuclear waste will remain isolated in their. barrels over a period of 500. 000 years. The deep burial provided by the Confederation would be a serious error. because one could not go back in the event of a proven problem or a solution found to treat waste. In addition. geologists warn that the drilling of hundreds of kilometers of tunnels 500 meters deep will nuclear: stop fake news! new eventually create cracks in rock. water infiltration. However, contact with barrels with water is the enemy of confinement and inexorably lead to pollution of water tables.

In other words, nuclear is the subject of promises as attractive as it is illusory. In nuclear: stop fake news! reality, this energy is expensive, risky and maintains dependence on uranium bought abroad. Conversely, sobriety, associated with renewable energies, represents a credible future, while creating local jobs. Each kilowatt hour counts, each decision too!

Article composed from the Romand quarterly Get out of nuclear.