Parliamentary question - P-002935/2011Parliamentary question
P-002935/2011

Nuclear disaster in Japan and EU energy mix

Question for written answer P-002935/2011
to the Commission
Rule 117
Kriton Arsenis (S&D)

The Japanese Government has for the first time acknowledged that radioactive leakage has reached a level which is dangerous to public health following the third explosion which occurred a few hours ago at the Japanese nuclear power plant in Fukushima. The explosions followed an earthquake registering 8.9 on the Richter scale which occurred on 11 March, creating a tidal wave (tsunami).

A few days previously, on 8 March, the Commission had announced a Roadmap for transforming the European Union into a low carbon economy by 2050.

This envisages the full implementation of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan, of which nuclear technology is a cornerstone. Furthermore, in the Commission press release of 8 March 2011 giving details regarding implementation of the roadmap, nuclear energy, together with renewables, is listed among low carbon energy technologies.

However, following the nuclear disaster, the European Commissioner for energy, Günter Oettinger, stated in an interview that the images from Japan showed that the worst could happen. In view of the Commissioner's statement and given the proven vulnerability of nuclear plant safety systems previously considered impregnable:

OJ C 309 E, 21/10/2011