The renaissance in the province: Nuclear dependencies, conflicts, and hopes in Central and Eastern Europe

Nuclear power production is in a peculiar position in Central and Eastern Europe: on the one hand, it is characterized by dependency on other countries, while at the same time being the main source of electricity provision. This paper explores this double bind in the context of the so-called ‘nuclear renaissance’ by looking at projects for expanding existing nuclear capacities, whether through new nuclear facilities, or by expanding existing ones. The focus will be on comparing Hungary and Romania, because of their two different trajectories in tapping into the nuclear hype. Whereas the former strengthened the ties with Russia and plans to build a new plant in cooperation with Rosatom, the latter is still looking for a potential partner, either in the US, Canada, or China, for the expansion of its nuclear power plant. The paper will contribute by showing that the unfolding of the nuclear renaissance in the provinces reveals important lessons about its contradictions at the centers of nuclear power production.