All three of Denmark’s governing parties have said they are open to relaxing atomic energy laws, in part to reduce dependence on Russia.
Europe’s slow march towards accepting the benefits of nuclear energy took another step forward on Tuesday when Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she was looking at the energy source “with open eyes.”
Denmark banned the production of power from nuclear energy in 1985, but leaders from two of the three current government coalition partners last month suggested a change in course was in order.
Venstre leader Troels Lund Poulsen pushed for the ban to be overturned and “to remove any barriers to research into nuclear power technologies in Denmark,” while the Moderates said they were “open to giving nuclear power an equal place with all sorts of other technologies in the competition.”
Frederiksen this week completed the trio, saying “it is better that we have nuclear power in Europe than that we are dependent on Russian gas.”
Pro-nuclear writer Johan Christian Sollid celebrated by saying “a serious conversation about removing the ban on nuclear energy is now happening at the highest levels of Danish politics.”
The Moderates previously stressed that wind and solar energy remain their preference, though their nuclear climbdown shows that even they accept energy independence cannot be achieved with such renewables alone.
Frederiksen also said on Tuesday that the main focus should still be on wind. She added that she has “no problem whatsoever” with other European nations moving towards nuclear power.
The PM’s comments came after Liberal Alliance politician Steffen Frølund pointed to the shift in positions of officials who previously said there was no debate to be had on nuclear, but now say there are likely advantages.
Source: European Conservative
