United News of Bangladesh

Nuclear energy is making a strong global comeback about 40 years after the Chernobyl disaster, as countries look for reliable and low-carbon electricity amid rising energy demand and geopolitical tensions. The 1986 Chernobyl accident in then Soviet Ukraine triggered widespread fear about nuclear power and slowed its expansion across Europe and other regions. Later, Japan’s Fukushima disaster in 2011 further weakened public support. But experts say the trend is now reversing. Today, more than 400 nuclear reactors are operating in 31 countries, while around 70 new reactors are under construction. Nuclear power now generates about 10% of global electricity and roughly a quarter of low-carbon energy worldwide. The industry has also improved over time with stronger safety systems and lower construction and operating costs. Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said nuclear power is regaining momentum globally. He linked the renewed interest partly to recent wars and energy security concerns. “I am 100% sure nuclear is coming back,” Birol said, adding that the technology is increasingly seen as a secure source of electricity across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The United States is the world’s largest producer of nuclear power with 94 operating reactors, contributing about 30% of global nuclear electricity output. Washington is now aiming to quadruple its nuclear capacity by 2050. A senior US official recently said nuclear power is essential for industry growth, artificial intelligence demand and long-term energy security. China operates 61 reactors and is building nearly 40 more, positioning itself to become the global leader in nuclear capacity. Russia is also expanding rapidly, both at home and abroad, building 20 reactors in different regions including Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. In Europe, the European Commission now considers nuclear power part of its clean energy mix alongside wind and solar. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called Europe’s earlier reduction of nuclear power a “strategic mistake” and said the bloc is now rethinking its approach to energy security and climate goals. France remains Europe’s nuclear leader, generating nearly 70% of its electricity from 57 reactors. President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans for new reactors to strengthen energy independence and cut emissions. Other European countries remain divided. Germany shut down its last nuclear reactors in 2023 after decades of opposition, while Belgium has extended the life of its plants. Spain still plans a gradual phase-out of nuclear power. Japan has restarted 15 reactors after safety reviews following Fukushima, with more expected to resume operations. In Africa, South Africa remains the only country with a nuclear plant, while Egypt is building one with Russian support and several others are exploring the technology. Russia, the pioneer of several nuclear projects, is also modernizing its domestic fleet and expanding exports. It continues to build reactors in multiple countries and has strengthened older Soviet-era designs with new safety upgrades. The renewed global interest reflects a broader shift in energy thinking. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said countries now recognize that stable and low-carbon electricity will be essential to meet rising demand. From Chernobyl’s legacy to today’s energy challenges, nuclear power is once again becoming a key part of global energy strategies.

Japan on Saturday marked the 12th anniversary of the massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster with a minute of silence, as concerns grew ahead of the planned release of the treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant and the government's return to nuclear energy. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that ravaged large parts of Japan's northeastern coast on March 11, 2011, left more than 22,000 people dead, including about 3,700 whose subsequent deaths were linked to the disaster. A moment of silence was observed nationwide at 2:46 p.m., the moment the earthquake struck. Some residents in the tsunami-hit northern prefectures of Iwate and Miyagi walked down to the coast to pray for their loved ones and the 2,519 whose remains were never found. In Tomioka, one of the Fukushima towns where initial searches had to be abandoned due to radiation, firefighters and police use sticks and a hoe to rake through the coastline looking for the possible remains of the victims or their belongings. Also Read: S. Korea pushes to end Japan disputes over forced laborers At an elementary school in Sendai, in Miyagi prefecture north of Fukushima, participants released hundreds of colorful balloons in memory of the lives lost. In Tokyo, dozens of people gathered at an anniversary event in a downtown park, and anti-nuclear activists staged a rally. The earthquake and tsunami that slammed into the coastal Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant destroyed its power and cooling functions, triggering meltdowns in three of its six reactors. They spewed massive amounts of radiation that caused tens of thousands of residents to evacuate. Over 160,000 people had left at one point, and about 30,000 are still unable to return due to long-term radiation effects or health concerns. Many of the evacuees have already resettled elsewhere, and most affected towns have seen significant population declines over the past decade. At a ceremony, Fukushima Gov. Masao Uchibori said decontamination and reconstruction had made progress, but “we still face many difficult problems.” He said many people were still leaving and the prefecture was burdened with the plant cleanup and rumors about the effects of the upcoming release of the treated water. The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, and the government are making final preparations to release into the sea more than 1.3 million tons of treated radioactive water, beginning in coming months. Also Read: What’s happening at Fukushima plant 12 years after meltdown? The government says the controlled release of the water after treatment to safe levels over several decades is safe, but many residents as well as neighbors China and South Korea and Pacific island nations are opposed to it. Fishing communities are particularly concerned about the reputation of local fish and their still recovering business. In his speech last week, Uchibori urged the government to do utmost to prevent negative rumors about the water release from further damaging Fukushima’s image. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida renewed his pledge to support the ongoing reconstruction efforts. “The discharge of the treated water is a step that cannot be delayed,” Kishida told reporters after the ceremony. He repeated an earlier pledge that “a release will not be carried out without understanding of the stakeholders." Kishida's government has reversed a nuclear phase-out policy that was adopted following the 2011 disaster, and instead is pushing a plan to maximize the use of nuclear energy to address energy supply concerns triggered by Russia’s war on Ukraine while meeting decarbonization requirements. Uchibori's goal is to bolster the renewable energy supply to 100% of the Fukushima prefectural needs by 2040. He said last week that while the energy policy is the central government’s mandate, he wants it to remember that Fukushima continues to suffer from the nuclear disaster.