ABSTRACT
The most critical issues raised by nuclear power use have a global reach and are just as crucial today as they were some 30 years ago. In the 1970s and 1980s, even Norway, a country with vast hydro-power resources and production, was subject to serious nuclear power development planning. According to these plans, Norway by now should have had some 12-15 nuclear reactors localised to 4-5 nuclear power plants. Due to strong public opposition this was, at least initially, rejected by the Norwegian Parliament as early as 1975. Similar plans were also rejected in Denmark and, ever since, the two Nordic countries have kept their roles as nuclear power free zones. In Sweden, the Parliament decided gradually to dismantle and phase out all their existing nuclear reactors, a decision very much highlighted in broader international discussions. However, in recent years it has proven difficult for Sweden to keep to the decision, when confronted with the issue of climate change (Høyer, 1977).
