Time To Go Nuclear? Evarist Bartolo Has An Idea For Malta To Improve Energy Independence
Malta should consider investing in an offshore nuclear power station to improve its energy independence, former Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo has proposed.
“Should we consider investing in a nuclear power station between Malta and Sicily that will deliver energy to us via a cable like the existing interconnector?” Bartolo questioned today.
“We should follow the major developments that are taking place in the field of nuclear energy production. Malta, the EU and the world need nuclear energy.”
“Saving our planet and moving away from polluting energy that aggravates climate change will require a mix of clean energy, including nuclear, solar, wind and hydrogen.”
The former minister said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has highlighted just how important it is for countries to be able to produce their own energy.
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine has quickly taught us that no matter how big a country is, it cannot truly be independent and sovereign if it depends on another country for its energy,” he said.
“The EU has now cut its dependency on Russia and is becoming dependent on other gas and oil producing nations.”
“Let’s remind ourselves that even in the case of renewable energy, we will be dependent on countries that control the rare resources necessary for their production. To gain a degree of energy independence, the EU should invest more in nuclear energy.”
Bartolo said the potential construction of a nuclear plant should only come after the necessary health and safety, environmental, financial and political studies are carried out, but that the industry has become safer since the Chernobyl and Fukushima tragedies.
EU lawmakers have often accused Russia of “weaponising” energy exports in response to Western sanctions so as to drive up commodity prices across Europe and increase uncertainty across the continent. The major Nord Stream 1 pipeline that supplies Russian gas to Europe has recently been switched off indefinitely.
Although Russia has denied weaponising energy exports, its president Vladimir Putin has said that gas exports will only resume in full once sanctions have been lifted.
Meanwhile, nuclear energy has seen something of a reemergence across Europe – the UK plans to build up to eight more nuclear reactors on existing sites, while France plans to build up to 14 new ones.
Germany has rejected calls to reverse the 2011 ban on nuclear power that was introduced in the wake of the Fukushima tragedy although the government is facing pressure from its own coalition partner and the opposition to go in that reaction.
Last July, the European Parliament also voted in favour of allowing investments in gas and nuclear power plants to be labelled as climate-friendly.
Cover photo: Left: Former minister Evarist Bartolo, Right: An image of a potential floating offshore nuclear plant: Jake Jurewicz/MIT-NSE on the website of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
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