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Released October 16, 2014 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--French politicians have voted to cut the country's reliance on nuclear power from 75% to 50% within the next 10 years.
The lower house of parliament voted in favour of the long-debated energy transition policy this week, which will see the country's dominant power source reduced. France is the world's most nuclear energy-reliant nation.
The energy transition bill, which also covers boosting renewables, increasing energy efficiency, cutting oil use and increasing recycling, will be fast-tracked before being ratified by the upper house of parliament next Spring.
The government did not outline exactly how the reduction in nuclear will be achieved but France's Electricité de France SA (EDF) (EPA:EDF) (Paris) will have to retire a significant number of older plants in the coming years. EDF runs all 58 of the country's reactors.
In the meantime the government has capped nuclear generation at the current level of 63.2 gigawatts (GW). The cap means that new nuclear plants like Flamanville, which is due to be brought online in 2016, will be allowed to open only if older ones are shut down.
Getting rid of older nuclear plants has been a platform for current French President, Francois Hollande, an anti-nuclear politician who made election promises to shut the country's oldest nuclear power plant, Fessenheim, by 2016 in addition to reducing the country's reliance on nuclear power to 50% by shutting 24 plants over the coming decade. For additional information, see July 24, 2013, article - France to Shut Oldest Nuclear Plant.
In May this year, EDF warned that its nuclear fleet would be unable to meet over half of France's power needs after 2025 as energy demand continues to grow. Around half of EDF's reactors will reach their 40-year lifespan limit sometime in the next decade. EDF said it will cost around 55 billion ($69 billion) to extend the life of the plants but that it would only be willing to spend the money if the government extends the lives of the reactors from the current 40 years to 50 years. For additional information, see May 19, 2014, article - EDF Warns Against French Nuclear Shutdowns.
French Energy Minister Segolene Royal, who has championed the transistion bill, said recently: "Investments in reactors at the oldest plants don't last forever. You then have to re-invest and that is very expensive. If it costs a lot more to carry out maintenance to make older plants secure, it would be better to build renewable energy installations."
On the bill's success in parliament she commented: "We have reached a major moment for green growth in France. It's a new model of development ...that will enable our country to take full advantage of its assets to become a leading eco-friendly power".
At the same time, the government wants to boost renewable energy's share in the electricity mix from around 15% now to 40% by 2030. France lags a long way behind its European neighbours when it comes to renewable energy. The country only started awarding its first offshore licences in 2012 when a consortium led by EDF Energies Nouvelles clinched the first offshore tender, securing three of the four projects awarded by France's Ministry of Industry. They included the Fecamp, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Saint-Nazaire projects. For additional information, see April 12, 2012, article - EDF Wins Majority of French Offshore Projects.
A key part of boosting renewables over the coming decades will be the government's promise to cut the 'red tape', which many have blamed for the lacklustre investment in renewable projects.
View Plant Profile - 1072425
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and nine international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. To contact an office in your area, visit the Industrial Info "Contact Us" page.
The lower house of parliament voted in favour of the long-debated energy transition policy this week, which will see the country's dominant power source reduced. France is the world's most nuclear energy-reliant nation.
The energy transition bill, which also covers boosting renewables, increasing energy efficiency, cutting oil use and increasing recycling, will be fast-tracked before being ratified by the upper house of parliament next Spring.
The government did not outline exactly how the reduction in nuclear will be achieved but France's Electricité de France SA (EDF) (EPA:EDF) (Paris) will have to retire a significant number of older plants in the coming years. EDF runs all 58 of the country's reactors.
In the meantime the government has capped nuclear generation at the current level of 63.2 gigawatts (GW). The cap means that new nuclear plants like Flamanville, which is due to be brought online in 2016, will be allowed to open only if older ones are shut down.
Getting rid of older nuclear plants has been a platform for current French President, Francois Hollande, an anti-nuclear politician who made election promises to shut the country's oldest nuclear power plant, Fessenheim, by 2016 in addition to reducing the country's reliance on nuclear power to 50% by shutting 24 plants over the coming decade. For additional information, see July 24, 2013, article - France to Shut Oldest Nuclear Plant.
In May this year, EDF warned that its nuclear fleet would be unable to meet over half of France's power needs after 2025 as energy demand continues to grow. Around half of EDF's reactors will reach their 40-year lifespan limit sometime in the next decade. EDF said it will cost around 55 billion ($69 billion) to extend the life of the plants but that it would only be willing to spend the money if the government extends the lives of the reactors from the current 40 years to 50 years. For additional information, see May 19, 2014, article - EDF Warns Against French Nuclear Shutdowns.
French Energy Minister Segolene Royal, who has championed the transistion bill, said recently: "Investments in reactors at the oldest plants don't last forever. You then have to re-invest and that is very expensive. If it costs a lot more to carry out maintenance to make older plants secure, it would be better to build renewable energy installations."
On the bill's success in parliament she commented: "We have reached a major moment for green growth in France. It's a new model of development ...that will enable our country to take full advantage of its assets to become a leading eco-friendly power".
At the same time, the government wants to boost renewable energy's share in the electricity mix from around 15% now to 40% by 2030. France lags a long way behind its European neighbours when it comes to renewable energy. The country only started awarding its first offshore licences in 2012 when a consortium led by EDF Energies Nouvelles clinched the first offshore tender, securing three of the four projects awarded by France's Ministry of Industry. They included the Fecamp, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Saint-Nazaire projects. For additional information, see April 12, 2012, article - EDF Wins Majority of French Offshore Projects.
A key part of boosting renewables over the coming decades will be the government's promise to cut the 'red tape', which many have blamed for the lacklustre investment in renewable projects.
View Plant Profile - 1072425
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and nine international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. To contact an office in your area, visit the Industrial Info "Contact Us" page.
