Ireland's Nuclear Energy Ban: Societal Rejection, SMR Delays, and High Costs Cited
John Leahy argues against nuclear energy in Ireland, citing widespread societal rejection, SMR delays until the mid-2030s, and a $1 billion cost per 0.350GW SMR. He highlights renewables' unreliability, advocating for natural gas as a backup and lifting bans on both nuclear and offshore fossil fuel exploration.
John Leahy responds to Seán Keyes's June 9th opinion on Ireland's nuclear energy ban, arguing that while lifting the ban for discourse is valid, nuclear power faces significant challenges.
Leahy cites three main issues: widespread societal rejection in Ireland, making site acquisition politically hazardous; small modular reactors (SMRs) are still prototypes and won't be commercially available until the mid-2030s; and the prohibitive cost, with a single 0.350GW SMR estimated at $1 billion.
He also addresses the debate on renewables, noting that studies from smartgriddashboard.com and windeurope.org over the last five years show significant fluctuations in wind electricity generation in Ireland, ranging from 1.5 GWh to 57.5 GWh daily. Prolonged low-wind periods, lasting up to four weeks, occur across the EU and Ireland. EU wind generation varies from 8 per cent to an average of 20 per cent, requiring fossil fuel and nuclear backup.
Leahy concludes that nuclear is not an option for Ireland. Natural gas will remain the primary backup fuel for decades. He advocates for rescinding not only the nuclear ban but also the ban on offshore exploration for native oil and natural gas.