Time to Shut Down
Russia’s Unrealistic Nuclear Plans
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
After two decades of stagnation, Russia’s nuclear energy industry has announced its rebirth. This even seems possible in financial terms, because revenues from the oil industry are flooding the state budget. But there are numerous hurdles standing in the way of the atom’s renaissance. A lack of capacity for building new facilities is the least of them. A much greater problem is the nuclear industry’s tremendous amount of waste, for which there is no convincing concept of disposal. This is also the reason why the construction of new nuclear power plants will meet with considerable resistance from society. Even in authoritarian ruled Russia, it will be impossible to ignore this op-position.
(Osteuropa 4-5/2008, pp. 329–336)