TNAG-1658-FCO40-2306-Daya-Bay-nuclear-power-station-project-safety-concerns-in-Ho-1987 — Page 248

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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.