Debate, Nuclear Power | The time is overdue to assess nuclear power in Northern Norway

In the autumn, NHO and LO presented a report which shows that Northern Norway is facing an enormous power deficit. If our part of the country is unable to produce enough power, we have no chance in the face of tomorrow’s challenges. The time is overdue to consider a new, clean and efficient power generation such as nuclear power.

In the future, Norway will have to base more and more of its power production on environmentally friendly energy sources. Northern Norway is no exception. Nevertheless, there is great opposition in many northern Norwegian municipalities when talking about the development of renewable energy production. If this development continues, our part of the country will be hit hard in the coming years.

In today’s northern Norway, there are big plans for more industrial development, but many are threatened by a lack of electricity. If little power means that the region does not develop further, it goes without saying that action must be taken to reverse the negative development. We will not be able to tackle challenges such as evictions and a lack of jobs, if a power deficit is to prevent further industrial development.

In order to work across the challenges we face, we have to invest in an energy policy that covers the need for power, while at the same time having minimal emissions. To make this happen, Unge Høyre believes that we have to open up nuclear power.

Nuclear power is primarily very space-efficient. It requires little land to develop and produce nuclear power. Research shows that you need 360 times more area with wind turbines to correspond to the energy produced in a nuclear power plant. The power plants can also be placed anywhere, as production does not depend on either sun, wind or water. In this way, we don’t have to expand nature to get more power.

Nuclear power also ensures safe and secure energy production. Today’s technology has led to nuclear power plants being instructed with safety mechanisms to prevent accidents.

Today’s research has also made it possible to produce nuclear power from thorium. Norway has one of the world’s largest deposits of thorium in Telemark, which can make us self-sufficient in power for many years to come. Unge Høyre wants to continue the research on thorium, so that we can benefit from Norwegian materials.

One of the biggest challenges associated with nuclear power plants is radioactive waste. If nuclear power plants were to be opened in Norway, arrangements had to be made to store the waste in a safe manner. In Finland, a landfill is almost completed where the radioactive waste is placed in capsules several hundred meters underground. Such landfills are well developed to avoid radioactive radiation. This is a good example that there are good and safe ways to store radioactive fuel from nuclear power plants.

Northern Norway needs more power. If we are to be able to meet tomorrow’s challenges, we will have to implement an energy policy that ensures clean, efficient and safe power production. To achieve this, nuclear power must be opened up in Northern Norway.