Nuclear is the baseload power that can guarantee energy stability in Europe and without which the bloc will not be able to achieve its decarbonisation and economic competitiveness goals, according to Tsvetelina Penkova, a member of European Parliament and vice-chair of its Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (Itre).

Penkova, a socialist deputy in the parliament from Bulgaria, told the European Nuclear Energy Forum in Prague that preceding parliamentary legislators* had been “a bit too ambitious” in pushing for EU global leadership in the climate transition “by solely relying on renewable energy”.

“This is an impossible task,” said Penkova and added that the EU “cannot achieve those targets without massive investments in baseload power and large nuclear power plants”.

The EU has set ambitious climate and energy policy goals, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The targets are part of the European Green Deal, which calls for a transition towards renewable energy sources, increased energy efficiency, and reduced reliance on fossil fuels.