EU ponders nuclear plant closures after Japan incident

The EU is exploring the closure of nuclear plants following Japan's struggle to contain a possible metldown at its nuclear plant after an earthquake.

European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told the International Business Times that the Japan issue brings back the focus to the safety of nuclear reactors.

"If we take it seriously and say the incident has changed the world - and much that we as an industrial society have regarded as safe and manageable is now in question - then we can't exclude anything," Oettinger said.

The nuclear power stations in the EU region generate one-third of the total power supply from various sources and 15% of the energy is consumed by the EU member countries.

The EU plans to assess the consequences of the Japan nuclear power crisis in concert with national nuclear safety authorities, nuclear power plant vendors and operators in this week.

Any decision on the early closure of nuclear power plants or on a moratorium on the construction of future plants, however, lies with national governments and public opinion in the EU member states, he said.

Europe now has about 143 nuclear power plants in 14 countries.

The European Union would also conduct "stress tests" on its member states' nuclear power plants. 

The tests would be concluded by the end of the year, Oettinger said, adding that thorough stress tests would also take place in nuclear plants of neighboring countries including Turkey, Russia and Switzerland.

Earlier on Tuesday, Germany announced that it would shut down seven of its oldest nuclear reactors built before 1980 for three months while it conducts a safety probe.