By CEV magazine team

The rejection of nuclear power, which remains the key energy recourse in the 21st century, is unsustainable for Serbia in long terms. There are many nuclear facilities surrounding Serbia - Bulgaria has opt for erection of another one near the town of Belene, Romania is on the same path, and Albania seems to have reached the very end of the executive phase. According to Petar Skundric, Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy, nuclear plants represent the future and necessity of our country.

"Concerning the regulations, moratorium applied on building nuclear facilities is in force in Serbia, and nothing can be done under these circumstances. But it does not mean that professional and public discussions on that issue must not be initiated. We are obligated to bring facts in order to understand the necessity of that process. I am certainly aware of the fact that my words will cause disapproval among antinuclear and environment protection activists, but we need public discussion", says Skundric.

There is no fear of rashly accepted decision, for, as Skundric explains, the nuclear facility erection is expected to last 12 years at least, after the decisions are accepted and after professional and financial conditions are created.

"There are certain ideas concerning the building of nuclear plant on, for example, Danube. Croatia was considering the possibility of building such facility together with Serbia and I believe that the matter of position, i.e. 30 kilometres in one direction or another, is irrelevant in this case. For as long as the moratorium is in force, Serbia can only listen to the suggestions of our neighbours", added Minister Skundric.

The strategy of the most powerful countries of the world is the best proof that nuclear energy has become our reality. Russia has managed not only to maintain in this business but also to improve by comparison with USSR era; France and Great Britain have opted for nuclear energy as the main source of electricity. United States are planning to build 20 nuclear facilities in the course of 25 years.

There are many reasons why the world needs more nuclear structures at this moment.  Unstable prices of gas and oil, as well as the attempts of the oil-import dependence reduction, are the first and main reason. Second, thermal power plants cause alarmingly high percentage of the emission of carbon-monoxide. Experts agree that nuclear power plants represent the ecology friendly way in producing the electricity. Nuclear station, with the capacity of 1000 megawatts a year, produces only 500 cubic of radioactive waste, while thermal power plant of the same capacity produces 8 million tones of carbon dioxide, 40.000 tones of sulphur dioxide and 6.000 tones of dust. Nuclear opponents will try to convince that the world has no clearly defined strategy of keeping in storage and destruction of nuclear waste, but Serbia, however, can be a good example of how nuclear power plants can be of a use in resolving waste problems.

"We are dealing with great problem of waste disposal in Vinca depot. And that concerns not only the waste from nuclear reactor, for the largest part of that waste comes from various institutes and other institutions, medical mostly, and, unfortunately, we do not have the systematic solution for  waste treatment. The studies showed that nuclear power plant, in our case, is the solution for the nuclear waste proper disposal", says Petar Skundric.

But the very reminiscence of Chernobyl catastrophe frights still and ecologists use this disaster so as to remind the publicity that nuclear power plants mean destructiveness. The supporters will then say: "When you`re left without electricity, or it becomes too expensive, you may refer to ecologists". Europe, however, welcomes "the nuclear renaissance", for even some non-governmental organisations have approached to industrials who support nuclear power plants erection, in order to satisfy all needs that modern economy demands.

Nina Commeau, of European Commission`s Directorate-General for Energy, says that nuclear energy is "not only the solution for electricity consumption increase, but for climatic changes concerning". Giancarlo Aquilanti, head of nuclear-technology unit at ENEL Company, also believes that the world will eventually opt for nuclear energy, adding that the financial aspect will turn the scale, due to the highest prices of electricity produced by thermal power plants.

"Fossil fuels` prices have increased for 800 percent from the year 2000 up to now, and the uranium price has not significantly changed", said Aquilanti.

As John Hutton, Minister of Energy, says, United Kingdom plans to build nuclear power plants in order to reduce import addiction, while oil reserves in Northern Sea are being drastically decreased.

Statistics prove that France receives 78 percent of electricity from nuclear facilities, while all 439 nuclear power plants in the world produce 16 percent of electricity in total.

Although debates are being held, and while Serbia keeps silent, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has concluded some very profitable contracts on developing nuclear power plants in Libya and other African countries, thanks to which French companies has ensured more than ten billion euros worth contracts. Russia and Venezuela have signed a treaty on uranium`s research and exploitation in this South American country, while Russia will be responsible for erecting nuclear structures for purposes of Venezuela. For the record, Australia is a country with the highest quantity of uranium in the world. Kazakhstan holds the second position with 17 percent of global uranium resources, and Canada has nine percent.

Russian state company Atomenergoprom has an ambitious plan to build 26 nuclear power plants in Russia and 60 more abroad in the course of 20 years. Japanese company Toshiba has realised global trends, and began developing its own technology which holds good positions markets in China and India.

Official data say that 26 nuclear power plants are being erected at this moment, but that another 100 in Brazil, Argentina, Vietnam, Republic of South Africa, Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, India and Pakistan are also expected to be built. Anne Lauvergeon, from French company AREVA, says that the world will be enriched with 300 nuclear reactors more up to the year 2030.

Among 15 EU countries with nuclear reactors, France has the largest number (59), follows Great Britain with 23, German has 17, Sweeden 10, Belgium seven, and Slovakia and Czech Republic six each. Hungary and Romania have four each, while Lithuania, Holland and Slovenia have only one.

Global financial crisis will certainly slow down these plans, but what`s interesting is the fact that the largest number of nuclear reactors in Europe were built in 1973, during global oil crisis, as the answer for increased demands and attempts for reduction of import dependence.