17 Feb (NucNet): Half of the Dutch
population supports an expansion of nuclear power, an opinion poll has shown.
The internet poll was carried out by the
Maurice de Hond organisation after a senior member of the government
indicated the need to build a second nuclear power plant. It showed that
49% of respondents were in favour of more nuclear power, while 37%
were against.
The poll also found that 97% of
respondents were in favour of more government investment in alternative
energy sources.
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On 12 February 2006, secretary of state
for the environment Pieter van Geel said the Netherlands could not exclude the
construction of a second nuclear power plant. Mr van Geel said
increased concern about climate change, and how the Netherlands will meet its future
emissions targets, mean the option to increase the domestic
use of nuclear energy must be kept open.
In January 2006, the Dutch government
granted a 20-year lifetime extension for the Borssele plant, allowing the
single, 450-megawatt (480 MW gross) pressurised water reactor (PWR) unit to continue operating until December 2033. Borssele started operation in 1973
and is the countrys only operational reactor unit.
Electricity and gas prices have been
climbing steadily in the Netherlands in recent years. According to the central
statistics agency Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Dutch households paid
an average of 7.5% more for gas and electricity in January 2006 than a
year earlier. On average, households now pay 65% more for energy than they did
in 2000.
Meanwhile, the Energy Research Centre of
the Netherlands
has said in a report that nuclear energy is one of the
most important measures that could be taken to reduce the countrys CO2
emissions by 15% by 2020.
The report also pointed to CO2
sequestration the capture and storage of CO2 emissions in geological formations
as another measure.
The study, carried out at the request of
the government to help it set its environment agenda, said the largest
emissions reductions are possible in the energy and industry sectors.
Source: NucNet
Editor:
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Half Of Dutch Support Expansion Of Nuclear Power, Says Poll
Thursday, 02 March 2006 15:32 | 
