ASSESSMENTS

Moscow's Nuclear Energy Advantage

Sep 20, 2017 | 20:02 GMT

Despite the Chernobyl nuclear plant accident of 1986, Russia has become the dominant player in the nuclear power export game.

Russia is not controlled by market forces as much as other power plant exporters, giving it a competitive edge. But it simply cannot finance all its prospects.

(iStock)

Using energy exports as an engine of geopolitical influence is nothing new for Russia. Natural gas as a lever of influence across Europe is a staple of Moscow's playbook. And the global demand for alternative energy sources is expected to grow. However, the Western and Asian nuclear powers have not been able to capitalize because a combination of market forces (and the high capital costs of nuclear plants), political flux and negative social opinions have turned the tide against nuclear in many of the traditional powers. ...

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