Nuclear Alliance asks Brussels to recognize the role of nuclear companies and strengthen them

The Nuclear Alliance, promoted by the French Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, has presented to the European Comission a document calling for it to recognize the vital role of nuclear energy and urging Brussels to reinforce the promotion of the sector in Europe and abroad.

Under the title “A new strategy on the use of nuclear energy for the European Union”the Nuclear Alliance, which met this Tuesday to coincide with the informal meeting of European Energy and Environment ministers held in Valladolid, insists that nuclear energy and renewables are complementary technologies to meet climate goals.

In this sense, the roadmap says that nuclear energy is “essential” to meet the region’s decarbonisation objectives, and ensure the diversity of energy sources and supplies, energy independence, competitiveness and the fight against climate change.

All this is possible thanks to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, continues the text, which recalls that beyond the European Green Pact, the EU is also based on the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).

In order to fulfill its mission, he adds, the Community must, as provided for in the homonymous treaty, promote research and guarantee the dissemination of technical information, facilitate investment and establish relations with other countries and international organizations that can promote progress in the peaceful use of nuclear power.

On the other hand, nuclear ones are also “a stable and controllable means of generation, which allows a reliable management of the electrical system and contributes to a high level of security of supply”.

For the Alliance, the recent energy crisis has highlighted its importance, both for public opinion and for an increasing number of policy makers, reinforcing the need for the European institutions “promote and facilitate investment” in this field.

“Technological neutrality and the sovereign right of the Member States to determine their ‘mix’ must be taken into account when establishing European policies”, indicates the document, which urges that these technologies form part of the European energy transition strategy and that the projectscan benefit” from the same support that other decarbonized sources receive.

boost nuclear

According to his estimates, nuclear power can provide up to 150 gigawatts (GW) of electrical capacity by 2050, up from about 100 GW today.

Taking into account all the arguments, the Alliance encourages the European Commission to develop a policy “strong and positive” that supports the financing “competitive” of the nuclear

In the context of the negotiations on the future design of the European electricity market, he considers it important that the States maintain a “Room for maneuver” to support investments in this type of energy that contribute to energy security in the long term.

From his perspective, Brussels could implement a partnership between community partners, private investors and international organisations, including the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

It could also start to define state aid guidelines to facilitate the development of the nuclear supply chain and plants in Europe, as well as boost innovation.

Bank, in the meeting

At the meeting, ministers and representatives of 14 Member States exchanged their views in the presence of the European Commission and the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, represented by the Minister for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera.

The list of participants is made up of Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia and Sweden.

Belgium and Italy have participated as observers, although they have not taken part in the debate or in the drafting of the conclusions.

Source: EFE