Visiting the Cattenom nuclear power plant in France on Monday 7 July, the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, stressed at a press briefing that the European Commission would be presenting its long-awaited final delegated act on low-carbon hydrogen “soon”, raising hopes that it would be published the following day, according to our information.
This act, resulting from the gas package published in July 2024 in the Official Journal of the EU (see EUROPE 13455/26), must be presented before August 2025.
The last provisional version, dating from the spring, was still the subject of criticism (see EUROPE 13673/9, 13665/23).
Mr Jørgensen explained that the Commission had worked very hard to find “a balanced solution that works in all the Member States and clarifies the rules for the various hydrogen pathways”.
In line with the latest version, the Commissioner underlined his intention to provide clarification next year on hydrogen produced from nuclear energy purchased under PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements).
PINC. He also spoke to the press about the estimated investment requirements for the nuclear sector up to 2050 within the eighth Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC) (see EUROPE 13659/11), thanking the French authorities and companies for their contribution. This report estimates that installed nuclear capacity for large-scale reactors will amount to 109 gigawatts in 2050 in Europe, according to a baseline scenario.
“This comes with uncertainties, of course, but it shows that there is a future for nuclear power in Europe (...), especially for France, which is the largest producer”, said the Commissioner. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)