Bulgaria's Nuclear Power
Bulgaria has a nuclear power station that the EU is forcing them to close.
As Bulgaria prepares to join the European Union on Jan. 1, it is being forced to deliver on one last promise: to shut down two aging reactors at its only nuclear plant. The EU says the units must be closed because they don't meet safety standards, but Bulgarians fear the closure will lead to price hikes.
Now nuclear power is a subject that neighbours have legitimate concerns over (if little in the way of actual influence) as Chernobyl amply demonstrated. Bulgaria is not happy.
Bulgaria's economy and energy minister, Rumen Ovcharov, has warned that the closures at the Kozlodui plant, which now contributes some 40 percent of Bulgaria's total electricity production, will force the country to slash electricity exports.
But safety comes first right? Well, consider the fact that had Bulgaria not joined the EU, the plants would have continued to be used well after their sell by date, and the EU could have done nothing about it. Also consider the fact that with this leverage, the EU could probably have found a compromise solution, involving French Nuclear Expertise (admit it they have more experience than anyone else). But that is not the way the EU works. The poor have to pay for the safety of the rich.
6 comments:
It's not my intention to give the EU any credit whatever but on the fSU reactors - they need shutting down and quickly. Eastern Europe is currently sitting on a number of time bombs.
The interesting question is which country will benefit from closing down Bulgaria's nuclear power plants? France for building new nuclear power plants in line with the high EU standards or Germany for building conventional power plants or ?
James,
I am sure that all these reactors are not very safe by our standards. I just question closing down 40% of a country's generating capacity just like that. Especially when the country in question is as poor as Bulgaria.
I agree Serf. it is a classic of styming the poor for the benefit ofr France and Germany. Why did the Bulgarians want to join?
I have never seen comments as stupid as yours. Firstly do you know that in the world there are only few power plants which are better than the one in Bulgaria and secondly how can you say "why do they want to join the EU" I think that the only guy who can think of such stupid think could be from the US
Lovedd reading this thanks
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