A Swedish breakdown

As expected, there was no political agreement between the Swedish owners of nuclear power plants and the State about how the remaining eleven plants are to be phased out and replaced by electric power from renewable energy sources (hydropower and biomass energy). Their winding-up is now in the hands of Riksdagen (Parliament). Today half of the electric power comes from hydropower plants; district heating and biomass energy is used for heating. There is also a considerable potential for wind energy, but the contribution from wind is currently unimportant. An important addition can be obtained by increasing the efficiency of existing hydropower plants. Gas can be used to replace the nuclear energy from Barsebaeck, which closed down in 1999. But after the Russians signed it recently, the Kyoto agreement comes into force, and Sweden will have to reduce its emission of carbon dioxide. This prevents building of gas power plants with large emissions. Since there is a common market for electricity in the Nordic countries and a common covering of power it is a paradox that the effect of closing Barsebaeck is not discussed in Norway. Finally, the article points out that Barsebaeck is so close to Metropolitan Copenhagen that it might have led into a major catastrophe if attacked by terrorists