Estonia To Evaluate The Introduction Of Nuclear Energy

The Estonian government formally approved the formation of a Nuclear Energy Working Group (NEPIO), tasked with analyzing the possibility of introducing nuclear energy in Estonia.

NEPIO, headed by the Estonian Minister of the Environment, Tõnis Mölder, will present its conclusions and proposals to the government by September 2022.

Energy security, sustainability, competitiveness and the achievement of climate objectives for 2050 are the main reasons to consider nuclear, the Estonian Minister said.

Indeed, Estonia has a particularly polluting energy mix based on oil shale, of which the country is particularly rich.

Oil shale accounts for 73% of the total primary energy supply and 76% of Estonian electricity generation, making Estonia the country with the highest carbon intensity among all International Energy Agency (IEA) members.

NEPIO will therefore have to analyse technologies and projects currently under development in other countries, in order to assess the feasibility of a future introduction of nuclear energy in the Baltic country.