Initiative represents notable shift in attitude to reactors
Danish industry groups have joined forces to form an alliance which aims to promote nuclear energy as the Scandinavian country reconsiders its 40-year ban on reactors in what would be a major policy shift.
The groups include the Confederation of Danish Industry, the Danish Metalworkers’ Union, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, an independent enterprise organisation.
They said the Danish Nuclear Power Alliance will advocate for investment in and the construction of nuclear power plants, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs), as a way of securing energy independence and meeting carbon reduction goals.
The initiative represents a notable shift in Denmark’s historical approach, which has largely focused on renewable energy.
Denmark has never had commercial nuclear power plants, although it did have three small research reactors that have all been shut down and are being decommissioned.
Danish media quoted Confederation of Danish Industry deputy director Troels Ranis a saying the country must not rule out nuclear, although he said studies have shown it is cheaper to invest in solar and wind.
“The great thing about nuclear power is that once we have covered the capital costs, it becomes really cheap,” Ranis said. “That is what we are looking for in industry: access to competitive, stable and secure energy.”
Energy minister Lars Aagaard told the Danish newspaper Politiken earlier this year: “We can see that there is a development under way with new nuclear power technologies – small, modular reactors. But it’s not enough that they have potential. We also need to know what it means for Danish society if we are to enable these technologies.”
The country’s decision to reconsider nuclear power has emerged as interest in new nuclear reactor designs has picked up across Europe, alongside plans to extend the lifespan of the continent’s existing reactors.
In 1985, the Danish parliament decided that nuclear power should not be included in the country’ energy planning.
In recent years, several conservative parties in parliament have opened up to the idea of legalising nuclear power in Denmark.
In May, prime minister Mette Frederiksen said she was open to relaxing the ban.
