Foratom said “an increasing number of experts” recognise that the energy sector’s decarbonisation cannot be achieved by using renewable sources alone and must be coupled with nuclear power if the world is to reach its net zero goals by 2050.
In this regard, the group said, the LTO of Europe’s nuclear plants can help meet mid-term emission reduction targets by 2030, reduce the EU’s energy import dependency and boost security of supply, and support the integration of more variable renewables to the grid.
According to Foratom, the revised intermediate decarbonisation targets by 2030 in the transition towards a 2050 carbon neutral economy are more ambitious than before and cannot be achieved without the extending the operation of existing nuclear plants.
Current EU climate targets foresee a reduction of 55% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The target had previously been set at 40% compared to 1990 levels.
Foratom said that the costs of electricity produced by LTO of nuclear plants are lower than the cost of electricity coming from the other sources, including gas and renewables. LTO needs much lower capital investment and leads to low investment risks, bringing a “lower and more stable customer cost,” Foratom said.
The group also said that LTO could bring plant improvements to the operational efficiency of the nuclear fleet from plant refurbishments and upgrades, improving operational capabilities and governance, and the maintenance of skills and expertise across the nuclear value chaing.
The position paper, however, said LTO is still facing a series of challenges including regulatory aspects, industrial challenges like innovation and technological breakthroughs, and various taxes and levies which apply only to nuclear.
Foratom put forward several recommendations to policy makers to support LTO in the EU: ensuring the existence of a coherent, consistent and stable EU policy framework; agreeing on an ambitious net-zero CO2 emissions target for the EU in 2050; developing and implementing a strong industrial strategy to make sure the EU maintains its technological leadership; supporting human competences development.
Today there are 107 nuclear reactor units in commercial operation in 13 EU member states, providing more than a quarter of the bloc’s electricity production. There are additionally 12 operational reactor units in the UK and four in Switzerland.
