Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, is hosting a dialogue with nuclear industry representatives today in Brussels to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the sector in Europe.
As announced in the Affordable Energy Action Plan, the Commission is working on an updated Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC) which will set out a comprehensive overview of costs and investment needs covering the full life-cycle of nuclear installations across the EU. This meeting will be a key opportunity to exchange with the sector, including on their investment needs.
The dialogue will also touch upon the safe development and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) across the EU as the Commission aims to enable their uptake by the beginning of the 2030s.
'As we fast-track the benefits of the clean transition, we need to ensure that home-grown clean energy in Europe powers a cheaper, cleaner and more connected Energy Union, starting with more renewables. In line with the right of Member States to choose their energy mix, nuclear energy will also play an important role in the electrification and decarbonisation of the EU energy system. The aim of today’s dialogue is to better understand the investment needs and challenges of the sector, as well as the potential enablers for the EU nuclear industry to continue its contribution to the clean energy transition. Addressing these challenges and capitalising on opportunities will be essential to drive innovation so that nuclear technologies such as SMRs can be deployed at the beginning of the next decade, and will meet the highest safety standards' , said Commissioner Jørgensen.
About half of the Member States plan to use nuclear power for decarbonisation and security of supply, as set out in their National Energy and Climate Plans.
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Details
- Publication date
- 7 April 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Energy