◀ anchor ▶
The European Parliament has passed a law classifying nuclear and natural gas power generation as green energy.
Considering that this is a transitional period towards carbon neutrality, the compromise was chosen, but with stringent conditions attached.
The government has announced that it will increase the proportion of nuclear power plants, but in reality, there are formidable tasks.
Reporter Yoon-mi Kim covered it.
◀ Report ▶
The European Parliament has passed a bill classifying nuclear and natural gas as green energy.
France, a major power in nuclear power, was in favor of it, while Germany, which had declared nuclear-free, opposed it.
The standing committee also voted against nuclear power plants and natural gas, saying they are not inherently eco-friendly.
However, it was passed with a vote of 328 to 278.
When the results came out, boos erupted from the audience.
Is this an opportunity for Korea, which has set a goal of exporting 10 nuclear power plants by 2030?
It doesn’t look easy.
This is because the conditions proposed by the European Parliament are strict.
In order to build a new nuclear power plant, it is necessary to obtain a construction permit before 2045, and to come up with an operational plan to build a high-level radioactive waste repository by 2050.
For safety, a condition was also attached to the application of a new technology that does not melt nuclear fuel rods.
It’s a technology that hasn’t been developed yet.
[석광훈/에너지전환포럼 전문위원]
“I don’t know how long it will take. I don’t know how many years the testing process itself will take, and it will take years to adjust. It’s the same as developing a new reactor…”
The possibility that the Korean Ministry of Environment will also classify nuclear power plants as eco-friendly energy according to the European Parliament has increased.
However, given the same conditions as in Europe, it is virtually difficult to expand nuclear power plants in Korea.
[한병화/유진투자증권 연구원]
“I keep saying that the international standard is EU because the safety standards are much lower than those of Europe, but if only the green label follows the EU, and does not follow the actual conditions, it means nothing.”
It is difficult to secure land due to strong opposition from the residents, but the bigger problem is the nuclear wasteland.
According to the nuclear decommissioning plan released by the government last year, it will take 37 years.
Even if everything goes according to plan, it will be 2058.
This is Kim Yun-mi from MBC News.
Video Editing: Lee Hye-ji
MBC News awaits your report 24 hours a day.
▷ Tel 02-784-4000
▷ Email mbcjebo@mbc.co.kr
▷ KakaoTalk @mbc report
