Nuclear, that is why after the farewell Italy and Germany assume once more | EUROtoday

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The first to note it was a Swedish engineer from the ability station Forsmark: the radiation values ​​have been too excessive that point April 26, 1980. After two lengthy days, the then Soviet Union he admitted it: «an accident occurred on the nuclear energy plant Chernobyl».

Chernobyl

Forty years later, it stays the worst catastrophe ever. And within the present worldwide disaster, Chernobyl additionally it is the reminiscence of misplaced vitality independence. Especially for Italy and Germanythe 2 giant European nations with out the atom. There Sweden proceed to have it. Like theUkrainewhose energy crops ended up within the sights of the Russians. Or just like the Japanregardless of the Fukushima accident.

I due referendum

“If we go back to a referendum, I’m relatively confident.” Chicco Testaas a staunch opponent of nuclear energy as president of Legambiente in 1986, he turned a fervent supporter after the turning level described within the e-book «Return to nuclear energy?» (Einaudi 2008). Today, when the talk is alive with new vigor, he speaks of «favorable polls as a result of mixture of the vitality disaster, a extra calm angle of public opinion and the place of younger folks. At the time they perceived nuclear energy as a capitalist expertise not like renewables.” Then it was 1987 when, after the toxic clouds and the ban on consuming broad-leafed vegetables, 85% of the participants referendum he ruled on the repeal of the laws that facilitated the construction and management of power plants. The voice of the Italians was also clear in the second consultation: in an Italy more passionate about the question of legitimate impediment, which referred to the prime minister’s trials, 94% of voters expressed themselves against the Berlusconi government’s plans to return to nuclear power. Era on June 13, 2011. Three months earlier, on March 11 in Japan an earthquake followed by a tsunami caused a Fukushima the other accident classified, like Chernobyl, with the highest severity on the scale Ines (International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale).

The German turning point

Then there was an acceleration in Germany too Energy transitionenergy turning point, with the decision to close nuclear power plants and demolish them: in 2023 the last reactors were shut down; in 2025 the cooling towers of the plant were knocked down Gundremmingen in Bavaria. Upon impact triggered by the «Chernobyl in Japane”, in line with the definition of the weekly journal The mirror, political and financial contingencies got here collectively: the chancellor Angela Merkel «he wanted the help of the Greens after which – recollects Testa – there was an unlimited amount of low-cost Russian gasoline. We thought it may final ceaselessly. Before the aggression on Ukraine, Germany was about to open the second North Stream oil pipeline. Then the sport modified.”

The new debate

So today both in Italy and in Germany the debate has resumed. Our Minister of the Environment, Gilberto Pichetto Fratinat the conference of the IlSole24ore “Energy transition and the nuclear industry” (see IlSole24ore of 15 April) traced the possible stages of the draft enabling law on nuclear energy: «I hope to close the legislative process by the summer to arrive at the end of the year with the implementing decrees». And the director ofInternational Energy Agency, Faith Birol, he renewed his suggestion to «reconsider the choice made on nuclear power. For economic prosperity, energy security, national sovereignty.”