The president of the European Commission stated this Tuesday that Europe made a “strategic error” by moving away from nuclear energy.
“Europe made a strategic mistake by moving away from a reliable and affordable source of low-emission energy“Von der Leyen said in a speech at the summit on nuclear energy for civil use being held in Paris.
He has done so after ensuring that the issue of “structurally too high” electricity prices has become “crucial” for the economic future of the European Union.
Faced with the current dependence on fossil fuel imports, Von der Leyen advocated developing its two locally produced energy assets: nuclear energy and renewable energies, since together they could guarantee energy independencethe security of supply and the industrial competitiveness of the continent, provided that more investments are made in electricity networks, storage capacity and flexibility of the energy system.
200 million euros for innovative nuclear technologies
Von der Leyen has announced that she will mobilize €200 million to support private investment in innovative nuclear technologies, within the framework of a new European strategy to accelerate small modular reactors (SMR) with the aim of putting this technology into operation in the early 2030s.
The new financial guarantee of 200 million euros seeks to reduce risks for investors in low-carbon nuclear technologies, he noted. The funds will come from the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme.
The strategy, Von der Leyen said, also includes the creation of regulatory sandboxes to test innovative technologies and collaboration with Member States to harmonize rules and streamline authorization procedures.
Macron also bets on nuclear
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, also did this Tuesday, which he considers a key element of independence for countries in the face of the current international instability that is intensified by dependence on hydrocarbons.
“We want more independence, which is seen in the current geopolitical context. “When you are too dependent on hydrocarbons it can become an element of pressure and destabilization,” said Macron in the opening speech of the Nuclear Energy Summit organized by France and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The French president recalled that his Government has launched an ambitious investment program in nuclear energy and assured that “in all countries where nuclear energy is produced, energy independence is increased.”
