‘Nuclear alliance’ to meet again at France’s initiative

by Paul Messad

The group of ‘nuclear alliance’ states will meet with the European Commission on the fringes of the informal EU energy ministers’ meeting on Tuesday (11 July) to seek guarantees on the inclusion of nuclear power in the EU’s energy transition.

In February, French Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher launched an alliance with several pro-nuclear EU member states.

The alliance’s first formal meeting in Paris, on 16 May, brought together 15 representatives of EU member states, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, and representatives for the UK.

Members of the alliance – minus the UK – will again meet with Simson on the margins of the informal EU energy ministers’ meeting under the Spanish EU presidency in Valladolid Tuesday (11 July).

The alliance is expected to present a joint declaration to the European Commission in which they will ask it to “include nuclear energy in all relevant texts currently being prepared” on the EU’s energy transition, according to Pannier-Runacher’s office, though the office did not specify which texts were concerned.

At the mid-May meeting in Paris, members of the alliance already signed a joint declaration urging the Commission to promote the inclusion of nuclear power “in the EU’s energy strategy”.

According to them, the EU could have more than 150 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear power on its territory by 2050.

France subsequently fought hard to obtain a declaration from the Commission as part of the negotiations on the Renewable Energy Directive, formally acknowledging the role of “other non-fossil energy sources” in achieving “climate neutrality by 2050”.

In early July, Pannier-Runacher’s office told EURACTIV France that these words clearly recognised the contribution of nuclear energy to the EU’s climate objectives.

The number of participants at Tuesday’s meeting is not yet guaranteed due to logistical and transport issues, Pannier-Runacher’s office told EURACTIV France.

The minister’s cabinet did not specify whether the so-called “renewables friendly” group, which Austria set up to counterbalance the “nuclear alliance”, would also meet on Tuesday.

Despite not seeing eye to eye on nuclear, France has joined the group, citing its high level of renewable energy, and promises to “participate at all meetings”, the ministry added.

*first published in: Euractiv.com