Swedish energy authority says ok to scrap 2nd nuke

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Swedish energy authority says ok to scrap 2nd nuke
  
STOCKHOLM, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Sweden can afford to scrap a second 
nuclear reactor next year without jeopardising electricity supply 
through the now-deregulated energy market, the country's energy 
authority says. 

A second reactor at Barseback in southern Sweden can be closed on 
schedule in July 2001, the authority said in a statement to the 
government released on Monday. 

The Swedish government is expected to announce the next step in its 
programme to phase out nuclear power when it presents the autumn fine-
tuning budget on September 20. 

``We see no problem in closing down the reactor. Besides, a shutdown 
of Barseback 2 is central if the Swedish ecological targets are to be 
met,'' the energy authority said. 

Deregulation of the Nordic power market means a country no longer 
needs to be entirely self-sufficient as Sweden can import electricity 
from Denmark or Norway at times of high demand. 

Swedes voted in a referendum in 1980 to phase out nuclear power, 
fearing it might cause an environmental disaster, and switch instead 
to cleaner forms of energy including hydropower, biomass and wind 
power. 

Nuclear energy from the 11 remaining reactors including Barseback 2 
at present meets 47 percent of Sweden's electricity requirements, 
according to the energy authority. Hydroelectric schemes produce 
another 47 percent and conventional power stations account for the 
rest. Electricity produced by wind turbines represents only 0.3 
percent of the total. 

Environmentalists have warned that deregulation of the Nordic power 
market means, for instance, that Danish coal-burning power stations 
can sell cheap power, but the hidden social cost is higher carbon 
dioxide emissions. 

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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
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Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
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