The Dampierre-en-Burly nuclear power plant, August 23, 2019 (AFP/Archives/GUILLAUME SOUVANT)
Emmanuel Macron gathered his nuclear policy “steering cabin” on Friday to stay the course and the pace of the accelerated revival of the sector, a “priority project” decreed a year ago by the Head of State in the face of the energy and climate crises.
At the end of the meeting at the Elysée, the presidency made no new announcement on the timetable for the construction of six new EPR2 type reactors, the first commissioning of which must take place “by 2035 at the latest”.
But the council “reviewed” the program and recalled wanting to mobilize all the actors “to ensure that the deadlines and objectives” of this centerpiece of France’s nuclear strategy “will be respected”, according to a press release from the Elysee.
The council also “acted the acceleration” of work for the development of small reactors of the SMR type.
Main novelty from Friday’s meeting, “the launch of studies to prepare for the extension of the life of existing power plants to 60 years and beyond, under strict safety conditions guaranteed by the Nuclear Safety Authority “. The State thus endorses the request of the operator EDF, which wants to extend this duration, which is currently limited to 40 years.
– “Passing by force” –
On February 10, 2022 in Belfort, the president, then campaigning for his re-election, had defined an energy policy which devoted his change of footing to civilian nuclear power, with this vast recovery plan, as well as the development of renewables, and a greater great sobriety.
The EDF Golfech nuclear power plant at night, January 3, 2023 in Dunes, Tarn-et-Garonne (AFP/Archives/CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)
Since then, the adoption of a bill to develop renewable energies is on track in Parliament, and the Senate voted in first reading a text to accelerate and simplify the construction of new reactors.
Pending their final adoption, Friday’s was therefore presented as a “progress point”.
Especially since other meetings were preventing decisions from being taken more quickly: the public debate on the new EPR reactors does not end until the end of February, and Parliament will have to debate the future energy programming laws expected around the ‘summer.
Some, among environmental organizations or in the opposition, were offended by the presidential haste.
The non-governmental organization France nature environnement (FNE) had estimated that this meeting “could seek to make believe that the launch of the construction of new reactors is inevitable”, deploring a “passage in force” which is “a middle finger to public debate”.
“The President of the Republic is trampling on the parliamentary debate”, had protested for their part the Socialist deputies, affirming that “it is up to Parliament to determine sovereignly the future energy mix of France”.
“We cannot say that on the one hand, there is the climate emergency and on the other hand, to postpone decisions again and again”, especially with the energy crisis amplified by the war in Ukraine, replied the entourage of Emmanuel Macron, ensuring however to respect the “order” of the decisions.
Six planned nuclear reactors (AFP/Archives/Sophie RAMIS, Sylvie HUSSON)
The year 2023 is crucial for the energy future of France, which must enshrine in law the share allocated to each energy, and in particular nuclear, to get out of fossil fuels and achieve carbon neutrality in 2050.
“Now that the course is clear, we need a cockpit and a chef on board”, pleaded the Elysée, arguing that “the huge construction site” of new reactors “weighs more than 60 billion euros” — even if the key question of financing, which has yet to be decided, was not on the agenda on Friday.
And this “chief” wants to show that he is “on board”: Emmanuel Macron will now meet this nuclear policy council twice a year to “ensure regular and precise monitoring of the various sites”. In June, he will have to “validate the orientations” of the 2030-2035 programming law, then, at the end of 2023, he will conduct a “detailed review of the EPR2 program”.
© 2023 AFP
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