France will build at least six EPR2-type nuclear reactors, the first of which will be commissioned by 2035, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.
“I want six to build EPR2s,” French media quoted Macron as saying during a speech on Thursday in Belfort.
According to him, the construction of the first reactor will begin in 2028, which could be operational in 2035.
In addition, Macron said that he also considers it necessary to conduct studies on the possible construction of eight additional nuclear reactors.
He also added that he plans to extend the life of existing nuclear reactors to 50 years. Before that, a period of 40 years was considered safe.
At the same time, according to him, it is necessary to develop renewable energy sources. “Because it takes 15 years to build a reactor, we need to increase the share of renewable energy,” he said.
“If we are to simultaneously meet our climate commitments, reduce our dependence on foreign countries for our energy needs, ensure, as we have been doing for several years, the industrial development of our country and keep the French energy bill moderate, we must act and to prepare for the future,” the French President said.
Two months before a new presidential election, Macron, who has not yet announced himself as a presidential candidate, outlined plans to achieve in the coming decades that France will be able to “produce 60% more electricity than today.”
At the same time, he considers a dead-end policy of focusing on one type of energy. According to his concept, the course should be taken “simultaneously on renewable energy and nuclear energy.”
In addition, Macron pointed to the need for strong efforts to expand the use of solar energy so that by 2050 its production will increase by about ten times.
In addition to solar energy, the head of state wants to bet on offshore wind energy. He set the goal of building about fifty offshore wind farms by 2050. The opening of the first of them is expected in the coming months.
In January 2022, Macron announced that he supported the peaceful atom, including for geopolitical reasons.
“Nuclear energy is needed for climate protection reasons and also for geopolitical reasons,” he said then at a joint press conference in Paris with European Council President Charles Michel.
In his opinion, the peaceful atom is a natural alternative to coal and gas. As for the latter, the French President stressed that in Europe, “either they no longer extract it, or they reduce its production.”