The French Minister for the Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, announced on Monday, October 14, that she had signed an agreement “bilateral cooperation” in nuclear energy with her Dutch counterpart Sophie Hermans translating a “political commitment” work together in the reactivation of the atom in both countries.
In this text consulted by Agence France-Presse (AFP), Agnès Pannier-Runacher and the Minister of Climate Policy and Green Growth, Sophie Hermans, declared “its intention to establish bilateral strategic cooperation in the field of nuclear energy”.
This text, signed on the sidelines of the environment council of the European Union (EU) in Luxembourg, aims “deepen energy cooperation” between the two countries after a first agreement signed on April 12, 2023, Agnès Pannier-Runacher’s cabinet told AFP.
“We share the conviction that this energy is essential to strengthen our energy security and reduce our carbon emissions to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050”said m.me Pannier-Runacher in X.
“European Nuclear Alliance”
“This declaration of intent covers absolutely all areas of nuclear energy”his cabinet argued, citing cooperation between security agencies, research and development, waste, the end of life of old power plants, the supply of nuclear fuel, as well as “The problem of training and human resources”. “We will have to train many experts, technicians and engineers to build these new reactors not only in France, the Netherlands, but in Europe in general”the cabinet stressed.
“This is not a legally binding agreement (…) but it is a political commitment of France and the Netherlands to work in all areas of nuclear energy, because France, like the Netherlands, is in the process of relaunching its nuclear energy.We explain in more detail. It is also not about “trade agreement” and this “It does not strictly concern EDF”. “But this type of text will create working relations between the two countries”it is argued.
French electrician EDF, which is due to build up to 14 EPR2 reactors in France and is negotiating with several European countries to build new reactors there, worked on a feasibility study in the Netherlands.
France, the country most “nuclearized” in the world per capita (56 reactors for 68 million inhabitants), has become the European spearhead of the relaunch of the atom, at the head of a “European nuclear alliance” promoted by Agnès Pannier-Runacher when she was Minister of Energy Transition. The group of 12 countries plans to meet on Tuesday.
