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Compound that with policies to close nuclear plants (immediately visible policy) and some frankly weird policies/contract around pricing and sale of energy internationally, and you have a situation where people are paying a quid a kWh for peak rate electricity when they were paying 15p last year
I looked into this and there are extra taxes on nuclear but only so that they actually paid for their costs. For example extra insurance after Fukushima and paying more to fund the expensive decommissioning and waste storage costs. So this is not a tax it is removing a subsidy as far as I could tell.
And I think the electricity contract stuff is as much to do with the European open market as anything
So this is not a tax it is removing a subsidy as far as I could tell.
As far as I am aware there has never been an example of nuclear power generation anywhere in the world being profitable. The horrendous costs involved, including obviously decommissioning, means that it always has to be subsidised by governments.
The reasons for having nuclear power are varied but I don't think because it's cheap is one of them
it won't be called Swexit it'll be called Swedone
Genuinely interesting thread. Thanks for the informed contributions.
A distraction... How to swear like a Swede
No, nuclear is rarely profitable, but suddenly removing a good chunk of our national generating power, whilst not having a suitable replacement available wasn't the smartest of moves.
On a local basis, we've been told to extend the periods we're not allowed to use our biggest machines (as we are still partially reliant on the local grid) and also to run our own power station at a higher load the rest of the time. No, i don't know the details, but it's been reported on our internal news.
There are also some commercial oddities around moving Swedish power via Norway that are impacting on our costs as well. And there is also a reciprocal deal with Norway getting Sweden to move their power, that is generating large profits for the electricity distribution companies, but has no impact on our rising bills.
One of my mates (works for Vattenfall) was ranting about it a few weeks ago after his bill quadrupled at the end of his fixed rate deal, no laughing matter when a good chunk of the country is reliant on electrical heating. And a few companies are either offering no fixed rate deals, or the sort of deal that'll lock you in to paying astronomic rates for the next two years.
Danes supported building nuclear power station opposite Copenhagen. Danes wanted nuclear power station opposite Copenhagen a few years later.
Old nuclear power stations are old and due to be closed anyway. Just look at France where I think half of the nuclear are closed down for maintenance. Sweden is currently exporting 15% of its electricity in comparison to a decade ago even after closing down nuclear in the mean time. And a lot of that is getting sent to Finland due to the massive delays and cost over runs of their new nuclear power station.
https://www.naturskyddsforeningen.se/artiklar/fem-myter-om-karnkraften/