Emmanuel Macron has assured that France will thus guarantee its energy independence “without contributing to the acceleration of climate change.”
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that the country will build new nuclear power plants, for the first time in decades, to “guarantee its energy independence without contributing to the acceleration of climate change.”
In a televised address, focused on the pandemic and economic recovery, Macron has advanced that “for the first time in several decades, the construction of nuclear reactors will be relaunched and the development of renewables will continue.”
Macron has assured that the start of the construction of new reactors will help “guarantee” independence and energy supply of the country, while progressing towards the goal of France reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
Although he has not given details, Macron already said last month that one of the government’s bets would be for small-size nuclear reactors of the SMR type, faster and cheaper to build, with an installed power of about 170 MW per unit.
France obtains approximately 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy, thanks to the 45 atomic reactors that are still active.
A conglomerate of state-owned companies has been building a new generation EPR-type reactor with some 1,650 MW of power since 2007 in Flamanville (Normandy), but the project is plagued by technical problems and cost overruns that have caused long delays.
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