"International Summit in Brussels Signals Nuclear Power's Revival as Key Player in Climate Change Fight"
No longer is Berlin's anti-nuclear stance the prevailing narrative. Over the past couple of years, France, a pioneer in nuclear energy, has played a decisive role in shaping more favorable regulations and pushing nuclear energy back onto the EU's agenda.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is orchestrating this week's summit in Brussels, is a prominent advocate for nuclear power as a "clean and reliable source of energy."
Grossi asserts, "The world needs much more of it," citing a growing acknowledgment that nuclear energy is essential in addressing some of the most pressing global challenges.
The inaugural summit organized by the IAEA to promote nuclear energy is convening representatives from approximately 50 countries, including the EU, the United States, and China, as well as 25 leaders such as France's Emmanuel Macron.
EU lawmaker Christophe Grudler, from Macron's centrist Renew Europe party, remarked, "For the past four years, we have been laying the groundwork – now we are seeing the fruits of our labor."
In 2021, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made headlines by arguing that the EU required nuclear energy as a "stable source" of energy. Subsequently, Brussels designated it as among its list of "sustainable" investments.
By early 2023, France led the establishment of a "nuclear alliance" comprising a dozen EU members, including Poland, Bulgaria, Finland, and the Netherlands, aiming to influence policy decisions.
With notable achievements thus far: last June, Paris successfully advocated for a modification to EU renewable energy regulations to recognize nuclear power's role in producing low-carbon hydrogen.
In December, EU member states and lawmakers reached an agreement on public aid for investment in existing nuclear power plants. In February, they also agreed to include nuclear energy in legislation aimed at streamlining regulations for "net-zero" emission technologies.
Moreover, Brussels incorporated nuclear energy into its roadmap to achieving its 2040 climate objectives and launched an industrial alliance in February to accelerate the development of small modular reactors (SMRs).
Harnessing the Momentum
With 100 reactors currently operational across 12 countries, nuclear power accounts for approximately a quarter of electricity generated in the EU and nearly half of its carbon-free power.
Around 60 reactors are in various stages of planning or construction, with one-third of them located in Poland.
Massimo Garribba, deputy director-general at the European Commission's energy department, noted a "shift in attitude" among EU members over the past 18 months, indicating increased collaboration in setting agendas.
The nuclear alliance led by France contends that the momentum must now be translated into a comprehensive and supportive European framework for nuclear development, including its financing.
Its members advocate for nuclear and renewables to be treated equally without discrimination in the EU's pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2050.
The alliance insists on equal treatment concerning European Investment Bank financing, the "Hydrogen Bank" funding instrument, and any revisions to EU renewable energy regulations.
Despite the EU's more receptive stance, the debate between nuclear and renewables continues to divide Paris and Brussels. France, which failed to meet EU renewable targets in 2020, refuses to rectify this, arguing that its reliance on nuclear energy keeps its carbon footprint sufficiently low.
"We will not be penalized," declared French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire. "We reject the notion of setting targets for wind turbines and solar panels."
A Disconnect
This stance is contentious among environmental activists and EU countries like Spain, Austria, Germany, and Luxembourg, which collectively form a "Friends of Renewables" coalition within the bloc.
Spanish Energy and Climate Minister Teresa Ribera emphasized that they have never considered swapping or mixing renewable energy with nuclear power.
German State Secretary for Economic Affairs Sven Giegold argued that the potential of nuclear energy remains largely theoretical, advocating instead for competitive renewables.
In contrast, Grudler asserted that small modular reactors will be operational by 2035 and new generation EPR reactors by 2040. He stressed the importance of establishing the necessary frameworks and financing plans now.
