Fukushima reactors; photo - EPA

Hear an exclusive interview with Poland’s nuclear energy minister Hanna Trojanowska in the wake of the tsunami in Japan which closed down the Fukushima nuclear reactor which sowed doubt in some of Europe’s political elite as to the wisdom of adopting atomic power.

“The construction of the first nuclear power plant [in Poland] is considered today as the greatest challenge in the history of the Polish energy market,” Minister Trojanowska told reporter Slawek Szefs.

“The [government‘s decision to launch the nuclear programme] was taken because of energy security concerns. It was taken because of the rapidly changing situation in the power sector where Poland is highly reliant on [carbon emitting] coal and Poland's obligations to meet the EU‘s climate protection package,” she adds.

“I would like to assure that Poland attaches the greatest importance to a high level of nuclear safety,” she said following the Japanese crisis. (pg)

Related story:

The nuclear power debate, thenews.pl 24 March 2011