PARIS, France: French President Emmanuel Macron has said France will build as many as 14 nuclear power plants, claiming this would help end France’s reliance on fossil fuels.
In a speech in the industrial town of Belfort, Macron said, “What our country needs is the rebirth of France’s nuclear industry,” lauding the country’s technological prowess.
Centrist Macron is expected to announce his campaign for re-election this month, and is conscious of a growing debate about energy, as energy costs are rising for consumers.
Nuclear energy provides some 70 percent of electricity in France, and low-cost nuclear power has been a mainstay of the French economy since the 1970s.
However, recent attempts to build new-generation reactors to replace older models have been affected by delays and cost overruns.
Right-leaning presidential candidates have supported more nuclear power plants and stressed that France should have “sovereignty” over its electricity, but those on the left have warned of the cost and complexity of building new reactors.
Environmentalists have also raised safety concerns over the dangers of radioactive waste.
French nuclear regulators are “unequalled” in their rigor and professionalism, Marcon said, stressing the decision to build new nuclear power plants was a “choice of progress, a choice of confidence in science and technology.”
He also announced a major acceleration in the development of solar and offshore wind power, adding that he would aim to extend the operational use of all existing French nuclear plants, if safe to do so.
Macron also announced the construction of at least six new reactors by 2050, with an option for another eight.
As the start of his presidency, Macron promised to reduce the share of nuclear power in France’s energy mix, so his recent focus on nuclear power marks a policy shift.
This month, the French government successfully lobbied the European Commission to label nuclear power as “green.”
