Environmental security

18 nuclear power plants in the EU are operating without a valid license

There are 18 active nuclear power plants currently operating without a valid license in the European Union, according to a report seen by Business Insider.

Many of the power plants should have already been subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), according to a report put together by Germany's Green Party member and nuclear expertSylvia Kotting-Uhl.

An EIA aims to identify the environmental consequences of major projects, such as the construction of an airport, and has proposed some lesser damaging alternatives.

Some of the EU countries running the illegal power plants include the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Belgium, Finland, the UK, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The number does not take into account the 34 other illegal nuclear power plants in neighboring European countries that aren't part of the EU.