France could close up to 17 nuclear power plants by 2025

• 6 years ago (2017-07-11)
• David Flin

Europe 1061 Nuclear 639

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Nicolas Hulot, France’s Environment Minister, has announced that France could close up to 17 nuclear reactors by 2025. He said that the move aims to bring policy into line with a law on renewable energy that aims to reduce French reliance on nuclear from its current level of 75 per cent to 50 per cent. The push for diversification comes on the heels of other high profile stances taken by Hulot and the Administration of President Macron, including a ban on new fossil fuel exploration, and a climate conference to be held in December.

Hulot said: “It’s understandable that in order to reach that target, we will have to close a number of reactors, possibly up to 17 reactors. Every reactor comes with its own unique economic, social, and even security context.”

France’s nuclear plants are ageing. The average plant is over 30 years old, and 15 of France’s 58 reactors are over 35.

During the recent presidential campaign, the Institut Montaigne, a liberal think tank based in Paris, released a report that concluded that if a phase-out of nuclear power were initiated immediately in favour of wind and solar, it would cost €217 billion by 2035, including grid upgrades. Dismantling existing reactors once they reach the end of their lifespan, along with treating waste, is projected to cost some €85 billion.

In 2016, France’s Cour des comptes, a Government body charged with overseeing public finances, estimated that prolonging the lifespan of the reactors would cost €100 billion. Adding to that an estimate from the head of EDF Jean-Bernard Lévy that 30-40 new plants would need to be constructed between 2030 and 2050 to replace the current fleet, and the total bill to maintain nuclear power at the current level could be €250-300 billion.