In 2006, GE partnered in its nuclear division with the Japanese corporation Hitachi and Westinghouse sold its nuclear division to Toshiba. Both companies have since been closely tied to the Japanese government--an additional reason why it has sought to underplay the impacts of the Fukushima accident, which involved six GE plants.
As to the other main actors in the nuclear field, Areva is largely financed by the French government. Siemens has been a partner in an Areva subsidiary seeking to build an "advanced generation" nuclear plant, a collaboration that will now seemingly be over.
Then there is Rosatom which grew out of the Soviet Union's Ministry of Nuclear Engineering and Industry. In the Soviet Union, and now Russia, government has totally dominated atomic energy development.
What did it take for Germany to abandon nuclear power--and followed now by Siemens?
Democracy.
Germany's decision was announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel, herself a physicist, after historic post-Fukushima election losses for her party and large wins by the anti-nuclear Greens.
Nuclear power--a product of Big Government followed by Big Business.
What can end it and lead to safe, clean, renewable energy? The will of the people--democracy--in action.
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