Europe must extend the lifespan of existing nuclear reactors and move with “much more speed and scale” into the development and deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs), Wopke Hoekstra, the bloc’s commissioner for climate, net-zero and clean growth has said.

Hoekstra told an event organised by nucleareurope, the Brussels-based trade association for the nuclear energy industry, that nuclear energy is an indispensable part of the energy solution and he wants to see a future powered by energy that is cheap, clean and helps the EU cut its dependencies.

Hoekstra said: “Nuclear power is part of the solution as it can deliver reliable, low-carbon electricity around the clock. Of course, it can only be part of the conversation if the highest standards of safety and security are applied, without exception.”