Financial aspects of nuclear power programmes from the experience of the FORATOM member countries

This paper reviews the financial aspects of nuclear power programme from the experience of the FORATOM member countries. To appreciate the magnitude of the financial requirement, the investments for the nuclear programme over the period 1976-85 are related to gross national product and gross capital formation. An examination is made of the sources and systems of financing for nuclear power stations and for all stages of the fuel cycle. The importance of interest during construction of nuclear plant is considered in detail as, with the lengthening of construction times, this has now become a major factor in the total cost of a nuclear station. The possible accounting conventions under which interest during construction can be treated are examined and a study is made of the investment profile, the cost of money and the effect of inflation. The fiscal aspects of nuclear finance are studied with reference to national regulations and amortization rules. The amortization of nuclear installations also presents certain problems associated with their dismantling once their useful life is over and this raises the question of the need to create a reserve fund which can commence with the startup of the power plant. For the fuel cycle, a distinction can be made between phases of high (economic) risk such as in the prospection and mining of uranium and the reprocessing of irradiated fuel, and those areas of normal risk such as the manufacture of fuel elements. The difficulties of obtaining credit for the first phase should be considered