Government and Nuclear Energy
Jun 30 - Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The OECD Observer
In the current context of privatisation and deregulation of the electricity
sector, the role of governments continues to evolve, as do the tools they have
at their disposal to implement national policies. Government and Nuclear Energy
reviews issues raised by this evolution in the nuclear industry sector, with
emphasis on the key responsibilities of governments with regard to security of
energy supply, health and environmental protection and, more generally, the
implementation of sustainable development policy.
Governments have been directly involved in the development of nuclear energy
since its inception, primarily for the generation of electricity. In the second
half of the 20th century, the reconstruction and economic growth in OECD
countries were driven by the implementation of large national projects leading
to the establishment of industrial infrastructures, including electricity
generation and transmission networks. Government and Nuclear Energy reviews how
nuclear energy, partly because of its science and technology applications,
benelited from government support in R&D to facilitate its development.
Governments have specific responsibilities in the field of nuclear energy,
covering nuclear safety, radiological protection, legal infrastructure and
non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. In this area, Government and Nuclear
Energy argues that the role of government has not evolved drastically, but that
privatisation of the industry and market deregulation have an impact on the
regulatory approaches taken by governments in pursuit of their policy goals.
Government and Nuclear Energy highlights key responsibilities of governments
in the field of internalising external costs and ensuring that market prices
reflect the full benefits and cost to society of products and services. It
covers a wide range of issues of relevance to policymakers, irrespective of the
national position towards nuclear energy.
Copyright Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development May 2004