France Expands Nuclear Power Operation... Germany and Sweden's 'Nuclear Phase-Out U-Turn'

Energy Crisis from Ukraine War
Europe Expands Nuclear Power Dependence
"France Nuclear Operation Expansion → Stabilizing European Energy Prices"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] European countries are turning to nuclear power amid the energy crisis caused by the Ukraine war. France, a 'nuclear power nation,' completed large-scale nuclear power plant maintenance and repair work last year and plans to expand nuclear power operations this year. The German government, which had pursued a nuclear phase-out policy, is now considering extending the lifespan of nuclear power plants, and Sweden has reversed its gradual nuclear phase-out policy, deciding to build new nuclear power plants, marking a 'U-turn' on nuclear phase-out across Europe.

On the 9th, Bloomberg cited Standard & Poor's (S&P) Global Commodity Insights, forecasting that France's nuclear power generation next year will reach 324 TWh (terawatt-hours), a 16% increase from the previous year.

France, which relies on nuclear power for 70% of its electricity production, had shut down 26 of its 56 nuclear reactors for equipment inspection and maintenance until November last year. Since then, it has been gradually resuming operations from the end of the year, raising the nuclear power plant operation rate. The operation rate, which was 40% in August last year, rose to 73% as of the 6th of this month. The number of reactors out of operation is expected to decrease from 15 as of the 2nd to 9 by the end of this month.

The increase in France's nuclear power plant operation rate is expected to significantly contribute to stabilizing energy prices in Europe. Energy prices in Europe soared due to the Ukraine war last year, and the drop in France's nuclear power plant operation rate added fuel to the energy crisis. As France increased energy imports from neighboring countries, Germany exported the most electricity to France in 30 years, the UK became a net energy exporter for the first time, and France returned to being a net energy importer for the first time in over 30 years. Olivier Appert, an energy expert at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), said, "France's nuclear power is very important for electricity production across Europe," adding, "European countries are interconnected through networks, so each country is contributing to the overall (energy) security within the region."

Voices calling for a partial U-turn on nuclear phase-out are also emerging in Germany. On the 3rd, German Transport Minister Volker Wissing convened an expert committee to review whether to extend the operational lifespan of nuclear power plants. As the energy crisis deepened due to the Ukraine war, Germany extended the planned shutdown of nuclear power plants, which was scheduled for the end of last year, once until April this year. Minister Wissing went further by raising the need for an additional extension of nuclear power plant lifespans, reigniting controversy surrounding nuclear power. In an interview with local German media, he stated, "Securing a stable and reasonably priced energy supply while achieving climate protection goals is a matter that requires expert answers," arguing that the nuclear power operation debate should not become a political issue.

Sweden has also announced plans to strengthen cooperation with France while promoting nuclear power expansion after the right-wing government took office. Although the previous government pursued a gradual nuclear phase-out, the right-wing coalition government that took office in October last year shifted the policy to building new nuclear power plants. Sweden relies on nuclear power for 40% of its electricity production and plans to build at least two new reactors in addition to the six currently operating.

European countries' move to increase dependence on nuclear power is a result of the heightened importance of energy security due to the Ukraine war. As Russia weaponized energy by shutting off gas pipelines to Europe, securing independent energy sources became more urgent. Although there is some opposition due to risks of accidents and nuclear waste disposal issues, nuclear power has significant advantages as a cheap and stable baseload power source. The fact that nuclear power's carbon emissions are 'zero' is also one of the reasons why the role of nuclear power is rapidly gaining attention.

Support for nuclear power is also rising within Europe. According to a survey conducted by the French economic daily Les Echos in November last year, 80% of French citizens support nuclear power, which is 20 percentage points higher than the 2016 survey. According to the Hungarian daily Hungary Today, a survey on nuclear power opinions in Europe showed that the opposition rate dropped from 26% in the fall of 2021 to 15% in the fall of 2022.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.