Nuclear power on the rise except in UN watchdog's home, Austria

Published connected 30/05/2025 - 16:46 GMT+2•Updated 17:00

From Belgium to Denmark, Bangladesh to Egypt, atomic powerfulness is making a governmental and argumentation comeback and drew advocates from crossed nan globe to nan International Atomic Energy Agency's Vienna office this week, though it remains little loved successful nan Austrian location of nan UN agency.

With large tech looking astatine atomic power to powerfulness early AI operations and policymakers progressively mulling nan imaginable of mini modular reactors – mini atomic plants that could beryllium factory-built and powerfulness a mini town, nan International Atomic Energy Agency has noticed much and much countries willing successful its expertise.

That is why nan Vienna-based atomic watchdog invited representatives from crossed nan globe to its office this week for a normal to heavy dive into nan good, bad and disfigured of what advocates telephone a very carbon-friendly fuel.

"At nan IAEA, we're seeing a number of personnel states that person expressed liking successful atomic powerfulness for respective reasons related to increasing power demands, ambiance alteration and different nationalist considerations," Matthew van Sickle, a elder atomic powerfulness technologist told Euronews.

The IAEA offers expertise to personnel states connected each nan main challenges from financing to quality resources to connection strategies to garner nationalist support.

The Zwentendorf referendum

But successful Austria, wherever nan IAEA has been based since it came astir successful 1957, a referendum successful nan 1970s resulted successful nan Austrian National Assembly passing a rule prohibiting nan usage of atomic power successful Austria.

The result was an outstanding triumph for participatory democracy, but a awesome nonaccomplishment for nan Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant, which costs €1 cardinal to build and was fresh to operate.

Situated successful Lower Austria alongside nan stream Danube, coming nan works has go a quirky Homer Simpson-inspired tourer attraction and nan biggest atomic training centre successful nan full of Europe.

Peter Schinnerf, who useful astatine nan works arsenic a guideline and trainer, told Euronews that nan works has much affectional than financial worthy today. "This installation was ne'er used," he said.

Since 2017, nan works has besides been hosting nan yearly Shut Down show - a monolithic techno show attracting revellers from each crossed Austria and beyond.