Power is important, and it is too important to argue about!

Municipalities are working purposefully to implement good local climate measures and doing their part to ensure Norway meets the targets in the Paris Agreement and beyond. All municipalities in Norway are concerned about climate change and support the phase-out of fossil energy sources.

At the same time, municipalities bear responsibility for social and commercial development. The green transition and industry of the future will need a lot of electricity. In parts of Norway, we actually have very little today. Therefore, we need more electricity in the future, and it must be emissions-free.

Nuclear municipalities

The intense debate over nuclear power means that progress in the debate is moving a little too slowly, say Fredrik Holm (TV) and Asmund Pratkas. Photo: private

These achievements have led a number of municipalities interested in establishing small modular reactors (SMR) in their municipalities to join forces to create Norwegian nuclear municipalities. This interested organization is currently established and established with an interim Board of Directors.

Norwegian nuclear municipalities are primarily ordinary municipalities that provide social welfare services to citizens. Municipalities stand ready 365 days a year to provide businesses with good framework conditions.

The industry in the high-cost country of Norway is built on reasonable and sufficient strength, and this advantage must be preserved and strengthened, so that we know that we will have jobs for people in the future.

Power is important, and it is too important to argue about!

Municipalities are also concerned with Norway’s obligations under the UN Convention on Nature. Norway must protect 30% of Norwegian nature (including the nature we have at sea), and we must restore 30% of the nature that has been destroyed.

There is no discussion about protecting nature

In the debate on energy in Norway, the UN Convention on Nature and our international obligations in this regard are completely absent. It is a matter of concern, and the Norwegian Nuclear Power Municipalities expect this perspective to be included in the discussion in the future.

Norwegian nuclear energy municipalities agree that all zero-emission energy sources should be able to contribute to the energy mix, and we recognize that nuclear energy alone cannot contribute to achieving the 2030 climate goals.

We believe it is absolutely necessary to document whether by 2050 Norway will be able to:

Securing future framework conditions for the industry

Compliance with obligations under the Paris Agreement

Double energy production by 2050

Compliance with targets in accordance with the United Nations Convention on Nature

…without using nuclear energy.

Here is a photo of Hitachi's BMRX-300 SMR nuclear power plant. GE Hitachi itself estimates its diversified costs will range between $6 billion and $7 billion. — Here is a photo of Hitachi’s BMRX-300 SMR nuclear power plant. GE Hitachi itself estimates its diversified costs will range between $6 billion and $7 billion. Illustration: GE Hitachi

Rystad Report

On Monday, November 27, Rystad Energy submitted a report entitled “Does nuclear energy have a future in Norway?? Their conclusion was no, but we can look at that in 2035. The report relies on two main elements:

Costs – It’s very expensive

The technology is not proven

Norway will have to wait until all ongoing small-scale nuclear power projects prove cost-effective.

The report does not take into account the climate or nature crisis and how future energy needs should be viewed in relation to them. This in itself is a good thing. This was not part of the state.

Very firm in conclusion

But this is precisely why it is important not to let such individual reports dictate the grounds for changing words. We will take with us the vision provided by the report. It is a comprehensive work that explains some of the limited elements of the nuclear energy debate. The report is probably spoiled a bit by the title, which is quite bold and biased. If its title had been a bit drier, such as “Expected cost evolution related to the implementation of small modular reactor technology,” we would not have had to say anything about the report.

The current debate over nuclear energy is somewhat intense and is characterized by strong wings with different agendas and interests on both sides. This means that progress in the discussion is a little slower than necessary.

Municipalities must take the initiative

That is why the Norwegian nuclear energy municipalities want to take a leading role in the discussion. We believe that democratically elected initiative from the front lines of democracy has good prerequisites for creating collaborative arenas for professionals, civil society and decision-makers. Such an organization is obligated to manage all considerations in such a discussion.

We want to work with this and future governments to solve future challenges related to jobs, energy needs, climate, nature, social legitimacy and all other issues that may arise from all interested voices in the discussion.