“I do think it’s a good idea to properly look into it and find out what’s right for Ireland.”
Ireland is openly revisiting nuclear power as it seeks to build a fossil-free electricity system, a notable shift for a country that has long kept the technology at arm’s length.
As The Irish Times reported, the move does not mean reactors are imminent. It does, however, put nuclear back into official energy planning in a way that could shape policy for years to come.
Here’s what to know
Nuclear power is among the options being assessed in a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) review of how Ireland could decarbonize its grid. SEAI is the government agency that advises on clean energy, and the analysis is expected to be submitted to the government.
Rather than casting an unlimited net, the decarbonized electricity system study works from a shortlist of 30 energy categories and technologies that could help Ireland reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
Within that group, nuclear stayed in the mix while some other options, including wave energy, were left out, The Irish Times reported.
Officials are looking at both main nuclear routes in the study, including traditional large-scale reactors and small modular reactors, or SMRs, which remain an emerging technology, per the paper.
Source: The Cool Down