The European Union must preserve the option of nuclear power as part of its energy mix if it is not to become a "fossil monster", Finland’s Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen said, quoted by Financial Times. In an extraordinary defence of nuclear power generation, he accused fellow EU member states of imposing a form of "energy imperialism" on the countries of central and eastern Europe seeking to join the union. Finland is the only country in the EU to consider building a new nuclear plant. He said those countries that had decided to phase out nuclear power - they include Germany and Sweden - were really trying "in every way to avoid rapid decommissioning. But it does mean huge amounts more fossil energy will be needed."