Nuclear Is Too Risky to Aid Climate Fight, Former Regulators Say

(Bloomberg) -- Nuclear power is too risky and expensive to address the growing threat of climate change, according to an international coalition of former regulators.

“Nuclear is just not part of any feasible strategy that could counter climate change,” the former heads of nuclear regulatory agencies in the U.S., Germany and France, and the former secretary of the U.K.’s radiation protection committee, wrote in an open letter Tuesday. 

The letter comes as nuclear power is winning more supporters among climate advocates touting the environmental benefits of reactors that can deliver carbon-free electricity around the clock. The technology has long been controversial because of the potential for a catastrophic disaster, a risk that the former regulators say needs to be taken more seriously. 

“Nuclear is neither clean, safe or smart; but a very complex technology with the potential to cause significant harm,” they said. 

The letter was co-written by Greg Jaczko, former head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Wolfgang Renneberg, former head of reactor safety, radiation protection and nuclear waste for Germany’s Environment Ministry; Bernard Laponche, former director general of France’s Agency for Energy Management; and Paul Dorfman, former secretary of the U.K.’s Committee Examining Radiation Risk from Internal Emitters.

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