By Martin Banks - 6th April 2011
There is a world of difference between a 50-year-old reactor in Japan and the newly-designed reactors in Europe
Giles Chichester
EU energy commissioner Gunther Oettinger has told MEPs that the Fukushima nuclear power in Japan is still "out of control."
Speaking at parliament's plenary on Wednesday, the German said, "This is a cause of great concern to both the EU and others."
Oettinger was taking part in a debate with MEPs in Strasbourg about lessons to be drawn from the disaster in Japan which is said to have killed an estimated 10,000 people.
He also outlined further details of the so-called "stress tests" on nuclear reactors in Europe in the wake of the tragedy, saying these were designed to test the "potential" of such plants to withstand everything from floods and earthquakes to an air crash and cyber attacks.
EU ministers last month agreed to develop a "stress test" for nuclear power plants in order to prevent events in Japan being repeated in Europe.
They also supported calls to review existing safety measures.
The assessment will consider a range of factors, including seismic activity, flooding, and power loss at reactors, said Oettinger.
He said the first results of the tests would be known in May and that similar checks may be carried out on plants in countries neighbouring Europe.
He pointed out that France relies on nuclear for 76 per cent of its energy mix while in Austria the figure is zero. Fourteen member states have nuclear plants while 13 do not and Germany is currently considering reducing the lifespan of its nuclear reactors, he said.
Oettinger, who said the commission was considering strengthening the EU nuclear safety directive, told members, "It is in the interests of all to have one common denominator in terms of safety checks."
Environment groups have voiced concerns that the proposals will not be enough and, during the debate, several members called for mandatory, rather than voluntary, stress tests.
Others said that while Europe needs the electricity provided by such reactors, those plants which failed to pass the stress tests should be shut down.
Greens/EFA leader Rebecca Harms said, "These stress tests have already met with a lot of suspicion and it is easy to see why. How can they be taken seriously when they are only voluntary?"
Harms told Oettinger that "everything will be scrutinized in three dimension."
Other comments came from ALDE member Lena Ek, who also called for mandatory tests, adding, "We cannot leave this to national authorities to supervise themselves. They must be carried out by independent experts."
She also said that "one of the lessons" to be drawn from the Japan disaster was the need for binding energy reduction targets.
UK Tory deputy Giles Chichester, however, cautioned against a "hasty" response to events in Japan.
He said, "There is a world of difference between a 50-year-old reactor in Japan and the newly-designed reactors in Europe.
"These is also a world of difference between the seismic risk in Japan and Western Europe."
"Modern reactors in Europe are designed to withstand risks unimaginable 20 to 30 years ago."
Reacting to calls from the Greens and others for plants to be close, Eniko Gyori, representing the Hungarian EU presidency, said, "Nuclear power accounts for 30 per cent of Europe's energy mix and 14 countries have nuclear reactors.
"You cannot simply close down a plant without first coordinating with other member states and without considering alternative energy sources."
Globally, there are more than 440 active commercial nuclear power reactors in 30 countries, producing 377,000 megawatts of electricity, according to the World Nuclear Association.
Of 62 reactors currently being built around the world, 40 are in Asia, and 96 of the 158 being planned are also in the region.
