The initially planned six new nuclear plants will not be enough, and the country would possibly need as many as 14 additional plants, French Energy Transition Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher said as the French parliament prepares for debate about nuclear expansion.
In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche on Sunday, January 7th, she emphasized the importance of expanding nuclear energy alongside increasing the share of renewables, with the aim of reducing the reliance on fossil fuels from 60% to 40% by 2035.
“We need nuclear power beyond the first six EPRs [European Pressurized Reactors] since the existing [nuclear] park will not be eternal,” Pannier-Runacher said, explaining that the additional needs would require an output of 13 gigawatts, the equivalent of at least eight further reactors, after 2026.
The six new pressurized reactors (EPRs) were announced by President Macron in 2022 as one of the most vital parts of France’s strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The option for the eight additional reactors has now been incorporated in the text and is waiting for parliamentary approval.
In 2022, President Emmanuel Macron positioned nuclear power as a key element in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This commitment included the construction of six new EPRs, with further studies for an additional eight reactors. State-controlled energy provider EDF is tasked with building and operating these plants, with substantial public financing raised to safeguard its success.
The proposed energy strategy, aligning with Macron’s vision, is slated for parliamentary debate starting in late January. While she reiterated the importance of significantly increasing renewable energy capacity alongside the expansion of nuclear power, the minister said she’d like to discuss the possibility of going even beyond 14 new reactors with the lawmakers.
President Macron’s decision to extend the lifespan of existing nuclear plants beyond the initially planned 40 years to over 50 years for specific reactors marked a change from a previous commitment to close more than a dozen of France’s 56 reactors by 2035.
France already touts the highest share of nuclear power in its energy mix among all EU countries.
On Monday, the minister traveled to Prague to meet with the Czech Minister of Industry, Jozef Sikela, with the idea “to strengthen our partnership by relying on Czech industry to increase our European reactor production capacities,” Pannier-Runacher explained.
