Conroy Debates FitzGerald: SMRs Viable for Ireland, Darlington Project by 2028
James Conroy rebuts FitzGerald's claim against nuclear power in Ireland, highlighting the progress of small modular reactors (SMRs) globally. He cites the Darlington project in Canada and Estonia's nuclear energy plans as examples. Conroy suggests Ireland may need SMRs by 2040.
James Conroy, of Mullingar, Co Westmeath, responds to John FitzGerald's April 13th opinion piece, "Ireland is still too small for a nuclear power plant," arguing that small modular reactors (SMRs) are closer to deployment than FitzGerald suggests. Conroy notes that SMR projects are already under construction or approved globally, citing the Darlington project in Ontario, Canada, slated to begin operations in 2028-2029 as an example.
Conroy also points to Estonia, an EU member state with a comparable population and reliance on energy imports, as a relevant case study. The Estonian government has drafted a nuclear energy and safety act to establish a legal foundation for SMR construction, which, combined with renewable energy sources, forms a key component of the nation's future energy strategy.
Conroy concludes that Ireland may regret not having operational SMRs by 2040 and may view countries like Estonia with envy.