Austria’s rejection of nuclear power is set in stone – you might think. But now the president of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) in Upper Austria is shaking this attitude. He wants to rethink nuclear power in Austria as one of the medium and long-term alternatives to Russian oil and gas. The energy transition must be affordable and that requires a broad mix, says Axel Greiner. That is why he was “against prohibitions on thinking”.
“It’s time to consider nuclear power again,” Greiner said in the “Kurier.” He thought the decision against nuclear power in Austria was the right one at the time, but Zwentendorf was 44 years ago. “Nuclear energy has also evolved and there are now ideas, concepts and approaches to build power plants in such a way that they are safe and do not produce radioactive residues,” said the head of IV of Upper Austria.
Greiner: for modern and safer nuclear energy
He is “not a fan of conventional nuclear energy”, Greiner emphasizes, he is talking about a modern version of safe nuclear energy. For example, Great Britain and France recently announced the construction of a new generation of reactors in Europe.
In this country, the law “for a nuclear-free Austria” prohibits the use of nuclear energy to generate energy. It has constitutional status and can therefore only be amended by a two-thirds majority in the National Council. Austria is also following a strict anti-nuclear course in the EU and has threatened to file a lawsuit against the classification of nuclear energy as sustainable. Nevertheless, the domestic electricity mix also includes nuclear energy from abroad, for example the Czech Republic.
Gas from bio-fracking for energy mix
When it comes to the energy mix, the chairman of the largest IV state organization also has environmentally friendly domestic shale gas from bio-fracking in mind. It is also about CO2-neutral fuels for combustion engines instead of a new Chinese battery monopoly.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
