| ID | 109455 |
| Title Proper | On the contribution of external cost calculations to energy system governance |
| Other Title Information | the case of a potential large-scale nuclear accident |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Laes, Erik ; Meskens, Gaston ; Sluijs, Jeroen P van der |
| Publication | 2011. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The contribution of nuclear power to a sustainable energy future is a contested issue. This paper presents a critical review of an attempt to objectify this debate through the calculation of the external costs of a potential large-scale nuclear accident in the ExternE project. A careful dissection of the ExternE approach resulted in a list of 30 calculation steps and assumptions, from which the 6 most contentious ones were selected through a stakeholder internet survey. The policy robustness and relevance of these key assumptions were then assessed in a workshop using the concept of a 'pedigree of knowledge'. Overall, the workshop outcomes revealed the stakeholder and expert panel's scepticism about the assumptions made: generally these were considered not very plausible, subjected to disagreement, and to a large extent inspired by contextual factors. Such criticism indicates a limited validity and useability of the calculated nuclear accident externality as a trustworthy sustainability indicator. Furthermore, it is our contention that the ExternE project could benefit greatly - in terms of gaining public trust - from employing highly visible procedures of extended peer review such as the pedigree assessment applied to our specific case of the external costs of a potential large-scale nuclear accident. |
| `In' analytical Note | Energy Policy Vol. 39, No. 9; Sep 2011: p.5664-5673 |
| Journal Source | Energy Policy Vol. 39, No. 9; Sep 2011: p.5664-5673 |
| Key Words | External Cost ; Nuclear Power ; Pedigree Assessment |