On Friday 21 February, the French Ministry of the Economy and Finance published the declaration adopted by the member countries of the Nuclear Alliance at the end of their videoconference meeting on 18 February on the forthcoming publication of the European Commission’s ‘Affordable Energy Action Plan’ (see EUROPE 13582/2). The signatories therefore call on the Commission to fully integrate the principle of technological neutrality and to work on a framework to facilitate the development of nuclear energy in Europe.
The signatories are Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden, as well as Belgium, which shifted from its observer status following a change of government. The European Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen, also took part in some of the discussions.
In the declaration, the countries call, among other things, for the Action Plan to support the introduction of low-carbon power purchase agreements (PPAs) with equal access for industrial consumers “by exploring possibilities for a European guarantee scheme”.
The signatories then ask the Commission to indicate in its forthcoming proposals how it intends to apply the principle of technological neutrality, and also how the Member States will be involved in updating the PINC programme to assess the financing needs of nuclear energy.
Secondly, the signatories expect the Commission to explain how it intends to create an ecosystem conducive to the development of new nuclear production capacity in the EU, including small modular reactors (‘SMRs’), but also new installations and plant life extensions, “by encouraging private investments and ensuring adequate and time efficient State aide procedures”.
To see the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/flv (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)