The future of nuclear power

Nuclear power in Germany at present is confronting two challenges: On the one hand, technical innovations are required in order to meet the expectations of nuclear proponents while, on the other hand, a public stand must be taken vis-a-vis the demand to opt out of nuclear power. This means that nuclear engineers not only must perform their technical functions, but increasingly also engage themselves socially. Neglecting just one of these two challenges is likely to impair severely the future of nuclear power in Germany. In the absence of a swing in public opinion it will not be possible to build a new nuclear plant, and nuclear power will be doomed to extinction, at least in a number of countries, within a matter of decades. In the absence of technical innovation, today's LWR technology will cause the fissile uranium available naturally to be consumed, thus killing nuclear power for lack of future fissile material. In responding to the two challenges, nuclear technology must safeguard its future by not retreating into an ivory tower of pure technology; on the other hand, technical innovation is a prerequisite for its continued existence. (orig.)