On March 13, the French National Assembly began consideration of a draft law on the construction of six new pressurized water nuclear reactors (EPRs) in the country. Environmentalists have criticized the haste of this program and its failure to meet modern environmental requirements.
Source: RFI
Over the next four days, members of the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament, will consider 650 amendments that the government wants to simplify the administrative rules governing the construction of nuclear power plants in France. The goal of the amendments is to build and commission six new EPRs (pressurized water reactors) by 2035.
The draft law indicates a complete rejection of the government's previous plans to reduce the share of nuclear power by 50%.
President Emmanuel Macron intends to accelerate the construction of new nuclear reactors and extend the life of existing nuclear power plants, which is highly criticized.
In the course of the vote, the government is counting on the support of right-wing parties that favor preserving nuclear power capacity.
In January, the bill was already submitted to the Senate, where it was approved.
Today, France's 56 nuclear reactors provide up to 72% of the country's electricity needs. President Macron announced in February last year that the national energy decarbonization strategy until 2050 would be based on the construction of new EPR nuclear reactors.
The draft law provides for derogations from existing administrative regulations to simplify procedures, facilitate land expropriation or waiver of construction permits.
The draft law provides, among other things, for the suspension of the strictest law on coastal protection in cases where the construction of new nuclear reactors on the sea is planned "near or within the perimeter of an existing nuclear power plant." The government proposes to shorten the timeframe for issuing permits for "non-nuclear" construction works (earthworks, fences or parking lots required for the site, etc.)
Macron is also in favor of developing "conditions for extending the life of reactors to 50 years". This is being proposed at a time when cracks have been discovered at three nuclear reactors in the Moselle and Seine-Maritime departments and a total of 16 of the country's 56 nuclear facilities have been shut down for maintenance this winter.
According to EDF's plans, the government plans to start construction of the reactors in 2027, with commissioning in 2035-2037.
Background. Meanwhile, a company has been set up in Poland to build its first nuclear power plant.