Nuclear Power on the Rise Because of Kyoto, UN Agency Says

Countries are investing more in
nuclear power since the Kyoto Protocol came into effect this
month, binding 35 nations and the European Union to cut their
emissions of greenhouse gases to combat atmospheric warming.
The United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency
expects the equivalent of 127 new 1000-megawatt nuclear power
plants to be built in the next 15 years, Director General Mohamed
ElBaradei told the group's board of governors today. Signatories
of the Kyoto Protocol must cut emissions of six gases by 5 percent
from 1990 levels. Nuclear power produces almost no gas emissions.
``In the past, the virtual absence of restrictions or taxes
on greenhouse gas emissions has meant that nuclear power's
advantage has had no tangible economic value,'' ElBaradei said.
``The widespread, coordinated emission restrictions of the Kyoto
Protocol will likely change that over the longer term.''
The treaty prompted the EU to start this year a compulsory
carbon allowance market across its 25 member states. Companies
that emit less than permitted amounts of gases may sell unused
allowances and those that pollute more must buy extra permits,
creating an incentive to curb pollution. Trading in EU allowances
may exceed $5 billion this year, according to the Amsterdam-based
European Climate Exchange.
China will increase its nuclear electricity generation in
2020 to 40 gigawatts from 6.5 gigawatts today, ElBaradei said,
citing the IAEA's 2005 Nuclear Technology Review. Russia may
raise its capacity to 45 gigawatts by 2020 from 22 gigawatts
today. India will increase its nuclear capacity tenfold by 2022,
ElBaradei said.