Untangling the web of Swedish Nuclear Energy Policy

2009

s o c i e t y o p i n i o n m e d i a s o c i e t y o p i n i o n m e d i a Swedish Opinion on Nuclear Power

Environmental Politics, 1999

PROFILES 143 most other countries -only Lithuania, France, Belgium and Ukraine are more dependent on nuclear energy.

Energy Policy, 1975

Both the United Kingdom and Hungary run ambitious nuclear power plans to keep nuclear power as an important element of their energy mixes. The objective of the analysis is to identify if there is the intent and the possibility for a different form of public engagement in shaping the nuclear future. The study builds on the comparative analysis of the cases of Hungary and the United Kingdom. The 'communication packages' theory serves as reference of comparison. The study finds that changing social value sets and communication technology developments create challenges to governments in securing support for the nuclear agenda. This challenge creates an opportunity for members of the public with 'reluctant acceptance' of the nuclear agenda. Building on global uncertainty, challenges to the prevailing political and economic status quo, together with the growing influence of social media might assist the public to become vocal in their opinions about nuclear energy.

Energy Research & Social Science, 2020

Journal of Energy and Power Technology, 2021

This paper examines the building of a new nuclear plant as a greenfield operation in Pyhäjoki, Finland. A newly-founded energy company, Fennovoima, was granted a license by the Finnish parliament to build a new power plant in 2010. In the years following this Decision in Principle the project faced several obstacles. Through interviews with key actors, this paper identifies the interests and core beliefs associated with building the plant. It posits that, in Finland, the underlying ideas and values surrounding nuclear energy are deeply embedded in conventional belief, or ‘doxa’-like, and as such are very difficult to challenge or change. Through the lens of this example, it offers suggestions and conclusions concerning the more general social logic behind energy policy decisions in the Finnish context and why nuclear energy has become a hegemonic solution in the Finnish polity. The paper also discusses the viewpoint of geopolitics, which has had historical relevance and has become o...

Interaction between organizations and stakeholders today takes place on virtual and physical ‘issue arenas’. This study examined opinions on nuclear power and asked who are the players discussing nuclear power in Finland? Through content analysis, surveys and interviews, the study concluded that politicians, power companies and regulators were the ones with voice, as NGOs and citizens were hardly heard. The paper suggests the future role of PR practitioners to be to find the right issue arenas and facilitate corporate voice and reputation on those arenas. Keywords: Issue arena; Issues; Monitoring; Stakeholder theory; Reputation; Nuclear power

Social Problems, 1995

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2019

Since its early days, nuclear power has been a highly contentious source of energy. Nuclear accidents have highlighted the risks of this technology, but their impact on perceptions and policy has varied considerably between countries and has generally been more variable and uncertain than frequently assumed. Across Europe and the USA, perceptions of the risks and benefits of nuclear energy primarily relate to environmental and health issues, safety, and costs. However, perceptions of nuclear power and the strength of anti-nuclear movements vary greatly between countries. Historical experiences and past conflicts continue to influence current debates. Throughout the history of nuclear power, involvement of the publicnationally and temporally-has been sporadic and varied.

Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences, 2012

The purpose of this article is to discuss Swedish nuclear waste management policy and assess whether a transparency programme has affected the policy discourse and contributed to legitimatising the forthcoming government decision on a final solution for spent nuclear fuel. The transparency programme implemented by the National Council for Nuclear Waste (NW Council) consisted of two main activities: dialogue meetings and public hearings for deliberating on different aspects of the waste issue. Lessons are drawn from an evaluation of the programme. The article concludes that the NW Council has implemented the government's legitimatisation policy by its existence and through the transparency programme, but achieving long lasting legitimacy is a complicated matter. Dialogue meetings and public hearings are reasonable measures; whether these measures are sufficient to legitimatise the final decision also depends on how the appropriate state agencies and the government justify their assessments and decisions regarding the long-term safety, security and sustainability of the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company's proposed final repository. The dialogue policy and transparency programme, however, has failed to influence the key decisions which remain in the control of the powerful interests, most notable Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) and the government.