The latest shift was to pledge that Barseback-1 would close by July this year, Barseback-2 by 2001, and the rest be retired gracefully.

ECONOMIST: Energy policy

The right-wing opposition disagrees with the decision to close Barseback, but has not made much of the issue in the approach to the September election: it, too, is courting the Centre Party.

ECONOMIST: Energy policy

The government has proposed a mix of conservation, natural gas and non-hydro renewables to replace Barseback's power. (Large-scale hydro development was ruled out in the 1970s for environmental reasons.) None meets Sydkraft's criteria.

ECONOMIST: Energy policy