Strasbourg, 21/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - On 16 November, the Parliament adopted the own-initiative report by German Green member Rebecca Harms on the use of financial resources for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. According to the European Commission, 50 to 60 reactors out of the 155 currently in service are to be decommissioned by 2025, as the average life span of a reactor in use is 25 years. At the present time, decommissioning strategies vary from one Member State to the next. In April 2004, the Commission had sent a request for information on the use of financial resources allocated to the decommissioning of power plants to 14 Member States that have such plants (Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden). Most of them chose the external management solution (i.e. separate from the accounts of the nuclear operator). In its resolution, the EP stresses how important decommissioning in good and due form of nuclear power plants is for the safety of humans and the environment after the plants have been brought to a definitive standstill. Noting the Commission's intention to present a non-binding recommendation in coming weeks on the use of financial resources for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants, the EP places emphasis on the need to ensure that, in every Member State, all nuclear companies have sufficient financial resources to cover all decommissioning costs and the cost of waste management in order to ensure compliance with the polluter pays principle and to avoid all recourse to State aid. Noting that the fund management method for decommissioning differs from one Member State to the next, the Parliament asks for these resources to be used for “equitable investments fully in line with EU competition law” in order to avoid distortion. The EP considers that the Commission should, with due regard for the subsidiarity principle, draw up precise definitions concerning the use of financial resources in each Member State, taking into account decommissioning as well as the management, conditioning and final disposal of the resultant radioactive waste. MEPs also consider it necessary for financial resources to be managed and used with maximum transparency, and for external auditing to be guaranteed.
The Parliament adopted by 377 votes to 222 and 59 abstentions the report by Rebecca Harms on the financial resources for the closure of two units of the Bohunice VI nuclear power plant in Slovakia. Ms Harms nonetheless withdraw her name from the report after adoption of an amendment (supported by most PES and EPP-ED and part of the ALDE) calling for the sum of EUR 400 million to be allocated to implementing actions foreseen for the period 2007-2013. This amount is far greater than the EUR 237 million recommended by the European Commission, and supported by the Greens. The EP resolution specifies that “the additional amount of EUR 163 million should be made available by the European Union and especially to those Member States that will benefit from the closure of the nuclear power plant in the context of the annual budgetary procedure” and that the financial assistance to be provided by the Community budget should be available after 31 December 2013.
A specialist on the subject from the Greens/EFA explained to EUROPE that: “Although no decision has yet been taken on the financial perspectives for 2007-2013, the EP has made a fool of itself by signing a bad cheque for the Slovakian government over that same period. We shall not be able to keep that financial commitment”. The Greens deplore, moreover, the fact that the same EPP-ED, PES, ALDE majority approves an amendment calling for part of the Community contribution to the programme for decommissioning two Slovakian power units to support “measures aimed at setting up new production capacities and modernising existing capacity”.