Stand Up for Nuclear Luxembourg
On October 26th, 2024 we partnered with Lëtz Atom to host Luxembourg’s first pro-nuclear demonstration. Held at the welcoming William’s Plaza during the Saturday farmers market, the event brought together individuals and organizations from five countries hoping to spark the nuclear conversation in Luxembourg.
According to Benjamin Ptak, Lëtz Atom’s founder, people in Luxembourg have historically been anti-nuclear due to fears of radiation and catastrophic accidents.
“This event is very important so that we can explain to people the reality of the industry, that it’s not as dangerous, and the issue of nuclear waste is not what people make it out to be,” Ptak said. “As we’re seeing today, a lot of people are not against it as long as (they see) the industry is safe and also quite cheap.”
Activists drove from nearby countries and arrived early in the morning to set up a booth as food vendors prepared for the day, hours before the event started. Advocates set up a booth featuring posters and informational materials about nuclear and engaged with the public.
Advocates highlighted the differing energy policies of Luxembourg’s neighbors and its importance for the nations next step in its energy path - Germany’s complete phaseout of nuclear and continued reliance on coal; Belgium’s partial phaseout and pursuit of natural gas paired with wind; France’s continual investment in its large nuclear fleet.
The effects of the nuclear plant closures are apparent - Belgium saw a 13% increase in CO2 emissions after the closure of Doel 3 and Tihange 2 and Germany announced plans to spend $16 billion on natural gas development to meet energy needs.
Jacques Marlot, Belgian advocate
LisaRaß, an advocate with Nuklearia and Mothers for Nuclear
Advocates from Belgium, USA, & Spain
LisaRaß, an advocate with Nuklearia and Mothers for Nuclear said she attended the event because she is convinced Luxembourg needs nuclear energy. She noted that on the day of the protest, both Luxembourg and Germany were importing clean, nuclear power from France.
“People have to change their minds to get clean electricity and to live in abundance,” Raß said.”
Lara Marwaha, a candidate in the EU 2024 elections with Volt, said that nuclear energy has become a political topic in Europe. She said it is essential to have events like this one in Luxembourg as the EU attempts to meet goals like having all electric cars by 2030.
“It’s important to talk about nuclear so people are more aware and not scared of just the word nuclear, and more accepting of what it will actually do for all of Europe, all of the world,” Marwaha said.
Activists from Spain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the U.S. also attended the event. French was the dominant language used to interact with the public and our booth sparked engaging conversations with young people, families, grandparents, and couples, and considering the country’s anti-nuclear history we were surprised by a general warm reception and a curiosity on behalf of the people.
A recurring concern from the public is the proximity of France’s Cattenom Nuclear plant, less than 70 km from the Luxembourg border, due to misinformation and fear surrounding nuclear.
“A lot of people have always said that it’s a dangerous power plant and we’re all gonna die in case something happens which is completely false,” Ptak said. “It’s very important we can explain the reality.”
Andres Fichtner, German advocate speaking with members of the public
Recognizing the significance of the event, the nation’s top media station, RTL, sent a journalist and camera to interview the organizers and record footage of the event.
To see our video capturing the event, visit our YouTube channel or click the video link below.
What can you do to help?
Watch our Stand Up for Luxembourg 2024 YouTube video for an inside look at the event!