The world proceeds in a nuclear direction

Word out about a new deal between the EU and Russia to advance nuclear energy usage between those two entities:

EU to open talks with Russia on nuclear energy deal

The problem is, I don't see -- immediately, at least -- talk of expansion and what to do with aging plants. It does say that Russia has 40 operation or "under construction" -- it's hard to find out what they've actually got under construction. But note the key sentence:

"Nuclear energy generates almost one third of the electricity in the EU"

Combine effective conservation with increased nuclear, and you can mothball some carbon plants (i.e., coal and oil) and you're halfway to the 17% reduction without capping or trading. People keep underestimating the real power of conservation. Add to that biofuels for the transportation sector, and these targets that the retreads ... sorry, Repubs ... think are so hard to achieve become eminently reachable.