During New Zealand’s “power crisis” in 2003 there was some discussion in the media on whether or not the country should pursue nuclear power as an energy source. At an international level, IPPNW has passed a resolution opposing nuclear power and arguing for greater development of sustainable energy sources (this resolution was passed at the Melbourne Conference). A list of the main arguments against nuclear power are reiterated below:

1) The link with nuclear weapons:

Nuclear power technology has assisted a number of countries to produce nuclear weapons. Recent examples include India, Pakistan and probably North Korea. There seems no valid reason for oil-rich countries like Iran to pursue nuclear energy - other than as part of weapons development.

2) Targets for terrorists:

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that little can be done to protect nuclear power plants from airborne terrorist attacks. Even an attack on spent fuel stored around a reactor could produce devastating effects over wide areas. The theft of fissile materials from reactor sites is also a risk for the production of radiological weapons (“dirty bombs”) by terrorists. One example is the arrest of black marketers for attempting to sell weapons-grade enriched uranium in Russia and Turkey in 2001.

3) The risk of accidents:

An intrinsic aspect of highly complex technologies is that accidents are virtually inevitable in the long-term (as argued by the social scientist Charles Perrow in his book “Normal Accidents”). Even the most technologically advanced countries such as Japan and the United States have had safety problems with nuclear power plants (eg, at Three Mile Island). Also of concern is the trustworthiness of the nuclear industry (eg, given how British Nuclear Fuels falsified records when sending spent fuel rods to Japan).

4) Unresolved waste disposal problems:

Even after many decades of research, the radioactive waste disposal problem remains unresolved. As a result many reactors are surrounded by large amounts of hazardous waste that is vulnerable to terrorist attack, theft or dispersal in a natural disaster.

These problems collectively make nuclear power uneconomic compared to other energy sources. However, the industry survives due to huge government subsidies and the provision of government insurance cover. Indeed, most developed nations using nuclear power are either reducing their reliance on this energy source or are completely phasing it out. The United States has itself commissioned no new nuclear power plants since the early 1970s.

For New Zealand the use of nuclear power would be particularly uneconomic given that its introduction could damage the country’s “clean and green” image. This image is probably a substantial force in making the country a top tourist destination and in the promotion of its agricultural exports. Indeed, this image will actually be enhanced if the country expands its use of renewable energy (such as wind power) and promotes its nuclear-free legislation as a model for other countries.