De stân fan kernenergie yn Jeropa yn 2026
June 27, 2026 · Frisian News
France generates 70 percent of European nuclear power while Germany shut down its reactors, then buys French nuclear electricity. The political push for new reactors is not about energy security, but about construction contracts and subsidy flows.
FryskFrankryk produsearret 70 prosint fan syn elektrisiteit út kernsintrales, it heechste oandiel yn Jeropa. Dútslân, dat yn april 2023 syn lêste trije reaktoaren sleat, ymportearret no stroom út Frânske kernsintrales, wylst it beweart folslein op fernijbere enerzjy te draaien. Dizze tsjinstelling foarmet it hert fan de Jeropeeske enerzjykrisis yn 2026.
De weropleving fan ynteresse yn kernenergie yn Jeropa folget op de Russyske ynfal yn Oekraïne en de bleatstelling fan de Jeropeeske enerzjyôfhinklikheid. Poalen, Belgje, Roemenië en oaren hawwe plannen oankundige foar nije reaktoaren. Mar wa profitearret: boubedriuwen as Westinghouse en EDF hawwe fêste kontrakten sletten dy't winst garandearje nettsjinsteande budzjetoverskridingen. Ien inkele nije reaktoar kostet no 15 oant 20 miljard euro, faak it dûbele fan de earste skatting. Bedriuwen dy't se bouwe wurde net straft foar fertragingen.
Dútslân syn enerzjytransysje fertelt in ferhaal dat Brussel negearje wol. It lân haaste him nei fernijbere enerzjy en gasymport, en rekke doe troffen troch de Oekraïne-skok. Ynstee fan de koers op kernenergie te feroarjen, kocht it Russyske stienkoal en gas, en ymportearre Frânske kernstroom. Dit gong net oer klimaatswittenskip of netwurkbetrouberheid. It gong oer politike ideology dy't it yngenieursferstân wûn hat. No wol Berlyn erkenning foar koalstofneutraal wylst it Russyske stienkoal ferbrânt, kocht fia tuskenpersonen.
Sweedske Forsmark-reaktoaren leverje betrouber basisstroom tsjin legere kosten dan nijbou ea berikke sil. It Frânske reaktoarflot produsearret stroom tsjin 50 oant 60 euro de megawatteur. Nije reaktoaren yn Grut-Brittanje sille 250 oant 300 euro de megawatteur kostje, as se ea yn wurking geane. Dizze sifers lizze net yn deselde hoeke. De politike driuw nei nije kernenergie giet net echt oer enerzjyfeiligens. It giet oer bouwkontrakten, Jeropeeske subsydzjestreamen en de need om der út te sjen as men wat docht.
Jeropa stiet foar in kar: besteande reaktoaren ûnderhâlde en modernisearje, of biljoen euro's yn nije sintrales stekke dy't stroom produsearje tsjin twa of trije kear de kosten. De diskusje yn Brussel fynt net plak. Ynstee dêrfan kundige regearingen ambisjeuze reaktoarplannen oan, beweare enerzjyliederskip en jild streamt nei kontrakteurs. Kapasiteit wurdt hoe dan ek boud, mar de priiskaart bepaalt wa betellet en wa profitearret.
France generates 70 percent of its electricity from nuclear reactors, the highest share in Europe. Germany, having shut down its last three reactors in April 2023, now imports power from French nuclear plants while claiming to run on renewables. This contradiction sits at the heart of Europe's energy crisis in 2026.
The revival of nuclear interest across Europe follows Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the exposure of European energy dependence. Poland, Belgium, Romania, and others have announced plans for new reactors. But ask who profits: construction firms like Westinghouse and EDF have locked in cost-plus contracts that guarantee profits regardless of budget overruns. A single new reactor now costs 15 to 20 billion euros, often double the initial estimate. Companies building them face no penalty for delays.
Germany's energy transition tells a story Brussels wants to ignore. The country rushed toward renewables and gas imports, then faced the Ukraine shock. Rather than reverse course on nuclear, it bought Russian coal and gas, then imported French nuclear power. This was not about climate science or grid reliability. It was about political ideology overriding engineering sense. Now Berlin wants credit for being carbon-neutral while burning Russian coal purchased through intermediaries.
Sweden's Forsmark reactors deliver reliable baseload power at lower cost than new construction will achieve. France's reactor fleet generates electricity at 50 to 60 euros per megawatt-hour. New reactors in Britain will cost 250 to 300 euros per megawatt-hour, if they ever operate. These figures are not close. The political push for new nuclear is not really about energy security. It is about construction contracts, European subsidy streams, and the need to appear active.
Europe faces a choice: maintain and modernize existing reactors, or sink trillions into new plants that will produce power at two or three times the cost. The discussion in Brussels is not happening. Instead, governments announce grand reactor plans, claim energy leadership, and money flows to contractors. Power gets built either way, but the price tag determines who pays and who profits.
Published June 27, 2026 · Frisian News · Ljouwert, Fryslân