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Thirdly, the risk for proliferation of nuclear weapons, namely
that expansion of nuclear power capacity might lead to nuclear
weapon capacity.
On the other hand, a number of factors speak in favour of nuclear
power and they are the basis for the positive decisions governments have
taken on nuclear power programmes:
First, the proven economics of nuclear power plants in all
industrialized and some developing countries. The Nuclear
Energy Agency of the OECD has calculated that nuclear-generated
electricity is everywhere cheaper than coal-generated
electricity in OECD countries, except for a few locations near
coal mines in e.g., Canada and the USA. India has presented a
convincing case that even small nuclear power plants of 200
MW(e) can compete with coal-fired plants if the whole
infrastructure for coal mining and transport is taken into
account.
Second, the proven reliability of nuclear power plants. For the
last three years, nuclear plants in Europe, e.g., have shown
better performance data than their oil- and coal-fired
counterparts in all size ranges.
- Third, energy independence. Even when nuclear fuel has to be
imported, it is easy and relatively cheap to stock several
years' supply of fuel.