Nuclear fear after Chernobyl unfounded - Blair thinktank

Global carbon emissions would be 6% lower than today if not for the "inaccurate narrative" against nuclear power since the Chernobyl disaster that has created "unfounded public concern", according to Tony Blair's thinktank.

- Jillian Ambrose

A report from the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) found that if the nuclear power industry had continued to grow at the same pace as before the 1986 disaster, the carbon savings would be the equivalent of removing the emissions of Canada, South Korea, Australia and Mexico combined.

Global emissions are higher than they might have been because of a slowdown in the number of nuclear reactors opened since the 1980s, said the report, released today. It found that more than 400 reactors started up in the 30 years before Chernobyl, but fewer than 200 had been commissioned in the almost 30 years since.

"The result is that nuclear energy has never become the ubiquitous power source many had projected, with countries instead turning towards alternatives such as coal and gas," the report said.

The thinktank predicted a "new nuclear age" would be driven by surging demand for low-carbon electricity from the power-thirsty datacentres needed for artificial intelligence.