"France's nuclear power bill moves forward in Senate, sparking debate on energy independence and potential global impact."

The EPR2 reactor design (Image: EDF)

The French Senate has begun a crucial discussion on a bill that aims to expedite the construction and operation of new nuclear facilities. The bill, which was approved by the French Council of Ministers in November 2022, is a response to the pressing need to address the climate crisis and the security of energy supply in light of the recent Ukrainian conflict. The bill will streamline the administrative and bureaucratic processes required to build new nuclear power plants, and repeal existing obstacles that impede the growth of the nuclear industry.

The Senate's Economic Affairs Committee has appointed Daniel Gremillet as the rapporteur for the bill, which will be voted on January 24th. The bill also removes the objective of reducing the nuclear share of France's electricity production to 50% by 2035, and includes the possibility of using small modular reactors (SMRs) and hydrogen electrolysers.

The bill also establishes a specific procedure for compatibility of urban planning documents for the construction of new reactors, and grants nuclear operators the ability to use an immediate possession procedure to obtain land for building new reactors. The legislation also calls for an assessment of the needs of the nuclear industry in terms of professions and skills, safety, security, and the fuel cycle.

Nuclear energy currently accounts for almost 75% of France's power production, but former President Francois Hollande's government capped nuclear capacity at 63.2 GWe in 2014 and aimed to limit it to 50% of France's total output by 2025. However, a draft energy and climate bill presented in May 2019 delayed this reduction in the share of nuclear power in the electricity mix to 2035.

President Emmanuel Macron announced in February that the time was right for a nuclear renaissance in France and proposed the construction of six new EPR2 reactors, with an option for a further eight EPR2 reactors to follow. The bill will now move to the National Assembly for consideration after the Senate vote next week.

Source: World Nuclear News

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