scholarly journals Exploring the Factors Influencing Expansion of Nuclear Energy in Croatia

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 8022
Author(s):  
Krešimir Trontl ◽  
Mario Matijević ◽  
Dubravko Pevec ◽  
Radomir Ječmenica

Nuclear energy is an option that enables a significant reduction of greenhouse gases emissions at the national and European Union (EU) level. However, it is also an option that is mostly influenced by public opinion and an option that has strong cross-border impact. Croatia does not consider nuclear options, but a possible future turn to nuclear might have an influence on other EU countries. The possibility for such a turn is analyzed, taking into account public opinion as well as historical and economic factors. Based on the results of a public opinion survey, it can be deduced that the Croatian public is not inclined to nuclear energy and considers it a risky option, although nuclear power plants in neighboring countries are not perceived as a high-risk threat. Trust in government as an information source is very low. Despite historical aspects that suggest scientific and expert knowledge capable of handling nuclear build, public opinion and the low economic framework indicate that a turn a to nuclear in Croatia is highly unlikely.

Author(s):  
Marco Ciotti ◽  
Jorge L. Manzano ◽  
Vladimir Kuznetsov ◽  
Galina Fesenko ◽  
Luisa Ferroni ◽  
...  

Financial aspects, environmental concerns and non-favorable public opinion are strongly conditioning the deployment of new Nuclear Energy Systems across Europe. Nevertheless, new possibilities are emerging to render competitive electricity from Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) owing to two factors: the first one, which is the fast growth of High Voltage lines interconnecting the European countries’ national electrical grids, this process being triggered by huge increase of the installed intermittent renewable electricity sources (Wind and PV); and the second one, determined by the carbon-free constraints imposed on the base load electricity generation. The countries that due to public opinion pressure can’t build new NPPs on their territory may find it profitable to produce base load nuclear electricity abroad, even at long distances, in order to comply with the European dispositions on the limitation of the CO2 emissions. In this study the benefits from operating at multinational level with the deployment of a fleet of PWRs and subsequently, at a proper time, the one of Lead Fast Reactors (LFRs) are analyzed. The analysis performed involves Italy (a country with a current moratorium on nuclear power on spite that its biggest utility operates NPPs abroad), and the countries from South East and Central East Europe potentially looking for introduction or expansion of their nuclear power programmes. According to the predicted evolution of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) a forecast of the electricity consumption evolution for the present century is derived with the assumption that a certain fraction of it will be covered by nuclear electricity. In this context, evaluated are material balances for the front and the back end of nuclear fuel cycle associated with the installed nuclear capacity. A key element of the analysis is the particular type of LFR assumed in the scenario, characterized by having a fuel cycle where only fission products and the reprocessing losses are sent for disposition and natural or depleted uranium is added to fuel in each reprocessing cycle. Such LFR could be referred to as “adiabatic reactor”. Owing to introduction of such reactors a substantive reduction in uranium consumption and final disposal requirements can be achieved. Finally, the impacts of the LFR and the economy of scale in nuclear fuel cycle on the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) are being evaluated, for scaling up from a national to a multinational dimension, illustrating the benefits potentially achievable through cooperation among countries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-135
Author(s):  
X. V. Mishchenko ◽  
A. E. Uzhanov

The author estimates the impact of PR technologies on the development of nuclear power in Russia and in a number of foreign countries (USA, China, Japan, France). It is determined that as soon as at the stage of development of nuclear generation projects and other nuclear industry facilities, the use of public relations (PR), with a targeted impact on public opinion and interaction with target audiences (TA) at its core, has a significant impact on decision-making in favor of the construction of nuclear power plants, minimizes the protest behavior of the population. It is shown that the advantages of nuclear power among alternative energy sources for strengthening the socio-economic potential of states and increasing their environmental well-being are most clearly, quickly and effectively disclosed through using public relations tools. PR enables to form an adequate and correct understanding of the physical and chemical foundations of nuclear power engineering, the main threats and systems for their minimization or complete elimination at the conceptual, socio-psychological and socio-logical levels, as well as to form, in terms of specific objects and tools, the technological and organizational facilities for the development of nuclear energy projects both in Russia and in foreign countries. The activities of foreign and Russian companies aimed at ensuring loyal public opinion in relation to nuclear projects are critically described and analytically compared. The chronological framework covers the recent period: from the beginning of the 2000s to 2020. This period is noted as the most significant for the development of nuclear power in the world. Statistical data on changes in the attitude of the public in different countries to the prospects for the development of nuclear energy after the Chernobyl and Fukushima-1 disasters are presented. It is concluded that it is PR in its integrated application that contributes to government decision-making and public support in the construction of nuclear power plants in Russia and abroad.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 153-158
Author(s):  
E. V. YANUSIK ◽  

The article discusses the main prerequisites for the development of nuclear energy in the global econo-my, also defines nuclear energy and discusses the structure of global energy consumption. The article proves that the crucial prerequisite for the development of nuclear energy in the world market is the economic efficiency of nuclear power plants.


2021 ◽  
pp. 389-411
Author(s):  
Tomasz R. Nowacki

This article discusses one of the solutions adopted in the nuclear energy law, which contributes to the reduction of the investment risk. It is the so-called pre-licensing which involves the assessment of key site or technical factors at the pre-investment stage in order to avoid possible problems at the stage of investment implementation. The author analyses the Polish solutions in the context of the general concept of pre-licensing, with particular respect to: the nature of pre-licensing legal instruments (opinions), the scope and requirements of the application for an opinion, and the binding force of pre-licensing acts. The practical significance of this issue is all the greater considering governmental plans to implement nuclear power in Poland and in the light of recent activities of private entities as to the construction of smaller nuclear power plants. In the latter case, prelicensing instruments are already being exercised in practice.


Author(s):  
K. Bereziuk

The development of Ukraine’s nuclear energy remains one of the priority areas for ensuring the state’s socio-economic stability and national security. In addition, the industry’s social responsibility to key stakeholders and the world community, in general, plays an essential role in ensuring the development of nuclear energy. The biggest problems of NNEGC Energoatom’s social policy remain outdated staff motivation system, unresolved issue of radioactive waste disposal, inefficient distribution of subventions allocated to NPP satellite cities, an extension of overtime operation of power units, corruption offenses, nontransparent procurement. Reserves for the development of social responsibility at the enterprise are the development of a new wage system, regulation at the legislative level of the mechanism of distribution of subventions, strengthening responsibility for corruption crimes, automation of the procurement process in the SAR ERP system, reducing the number of intermediaries in procurement. It is also vital to increase the transparency of the enterprise and launch an educational campaign to restore public confidence in nuclear power plants. Strengthening social responsibility requires systematic work not only by the management of NNEGC Energoatom but also by lawmakers and anti-corruption bodies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Hasan Dinçer ◽  
Gülsüm Sena Uluer

Nuclear energy investments are important for the social and economic development of countries. Thanks to these investments, no carbon gas is released into the atmosphere while providing energy. This situation prevents the environmental pollution problem. On the other hand, nuclear energy contributes to countries to obtain uninterrupted electricity. However, the installation of nuclear power plants is now difficult. A serious technological infrastructure is required to build these facilities. This situation is especially important for countries that do not yet have nuclear power plants. In order to increase the use of nuclear energy in these countries, support from nuclear energy companies is required. However, nuclear energy investors may not want to invest in every country. In this study, the factors that affect the investment decisions of nuclear energy investors are analyzed. In this framework, a detailed literature analysis was performed, and 4 different criteria were determined. An analysis was carried out using the Entropy method to determine the most important factor among these factors. According to the results of the analysis, it is determined that the socio-political factors in the country have the most importance in the decisions of nuclear energy investors. Considering these issues, it is understood that countries should pay attention to public acceptance to attract the attention of nuclear energy investors.


2006 ◽  
Vol 985 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Bresee

AbstractIn the January 2006 State of the Union address, President Bush announced a new Advanced Energy Initiative, a significant part of which is the Global Nuclear Energy Initiative. Its details were described on February 6, 2006 by the U.S. Secretary of Energy. In summary, it has three parts: (1) a program to expand nuclear energy use domestically and in foreign countries to support economic growth while reducing the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. (2) an expansion of the U.S. nuclear infrastructure that will lead to the recycling of spent fuel and a closed fuel cycle and, through transmutation, a reduction in the quantity and radiotoxicity of nuclear waste and its proliferation concerns, and (3) a partnership with other fuel cycle nations to support nuclear power in additional nations by providing small nuclear power plants and leased fuel with the provision that the resulting spent fuel would be returned by the lessee to the lessor. The final part would have the effect of stabilizing the number of fuel cycle countries with attendant non-proliferation value. Details will be given later in the paper.


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