what the candidates propose on nuclear power and the future of French power plants

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Two months before the presidential election, Emmanuel Macron goes to Belfort, Thursday, February 10, to talk about nuclear. The President of the Republic will present his recovery plan and, more generally, his energy strategy for France. The main announcement by the Head of State must relate to the construction of a series of new second-generation EPR nuclear reactors. Franceinfo takes this opportunity to better understand the positioning on the subject of the atom of the candidates for the presidential election.

Yannick Jadot wants to get out of nuclear power as soon as possible

Unsurprisingly, the presidential candidate EELV pleads for the exit from nuclear power. “We go from design flaw to design flaw. I don’t want such a big nuclear machine to blow up in our face, it’s a moral issue”explained Yannick Jadot, mid-December on franceinfo, about the EPR of Flamanville (Manche), whose site accumulates delays and additional costs.

“My ambition is not to shut down nuclear power plants tomorrowassures the former leader of Greenpeace France, I am responsible, I will guarantee the supply of electricity to families and businesses.” He hears “to act on energy control, in particular on constrained household expenses, heating, electricity, transport”but also “to put France on the path of innovation and the development of renewable energies” before “gradually” close “the oldest nuclear reactors”.

For him, it is all the more necessary to get out of nuclear power since the viability of nuclear reactors also depends on environmental hazards, as shown by the disaster caused by a tsunami in Fukushima (Japan) in 2011.

Marine Le Pen wants to “reopen Fessenheim”

Conversely, Marine Le Pen is pro-nuclear. “I’m building six EPRs and reopening Fessenheim”. Here is what the candidate of the RN will tackle, if she is elected President of the Republic. On franceinfo, in mid-November, the candidate of the National Rally denounced “an absolutely major mistake” of Emmanuel Macron, who closed the Haut-Rhin power station.

She rejects the argument of an aging plant, giving the example of the United States where “a twin nuclear power plant”stating that“In 2009, its service life was extended by 20 years, i.e. 60 years of service life. So we could have done that perfectly for Fessenheim.”

Valérie Pécresse wants to launch six new EPRs

“We must think about our energy policy with two imperatives: global warming, but also the independence of our country.” These are the words spoken at the beginning of October by Valérie Pécresse when presenting her energy program in Cherbourg. If she is elected president, candidate LR promises to return to the scheduled closures of nuclear reactors and launch “six new EPRs”.

Following in the footsteps of General de Gaulle, “to whom we owe our nuclear strategy”she promised to “return to the program of early closure of 12 reactors” and throw “a new nuclear program”. It also counts “grant EDF the launch of an industrial series of six new EPRs” and restart “the Astrid fourth generation reactor project”.

Eric Zemmour wants to give “a boost” to nuclear power

8:22 p.m. guest on TwitchTuesday, February 1, Eric Zemmour announced his intention to donate “quickly a nice boost” to nuclear energy, which he describes as “very CO2 clean”. The reconquest candidate! in the presidential election presented its course in this area: to open 14 EPR reactors in France by 2050. “We will do everything for it, this is the objective that I will give to EDF”, he said. He also intends to extend the life of the power plants to 60 years.

Anne Hidalgo does not bet on an end to nuclear power “before 2050”

The end of nuclear power will not be “not before 2050”, for the socialist presidential candidate, Anne Hidalgo, invited Friday January 21 on franceinfo. If in her program, she bets on the “100% renewable energy”she explains that France still has “need” nuclear. Unlike some of her presidential competitors, like Yannick Jadot, she considers that we cannot “Getting out of nuclear power in 20 years is wrong, it’s not possible”.

In its program, no opening of new power plants but the extension of those already in place: “I’m for the big fairing”, she told franceinfo, that is to say a vast industrial project which aims to extend the operating life of nuclear power plants, beyond the planned forty years. For this, Anne Hidalgo wishes to place herself “under the authority of the Nuclear Safety Authority and also of Parliament” to decide on the possible extension “of a certain number of power stations”.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon in favor of phasing out nuclear power in 2045

The candidate of La France insoumise has long defended a total exit from nuclear power by 2030. His position has evolved since the publication of the last report by the négaWatt association in mid-October which updated his scenario to achieve carbon neutrality. The latter now envisages the closure of the last nuclear reactor in 2045, therefore “this scenario forms the basis of my energy transition programme”, explained Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the JDD. “We endorse the objectives it contains. I had set a goal of 2030. I don’t want to block dates. But I am committed to doing everything to go faster than the 2045 scenario.”

“Getting out of nuclear power is not a technical question but a political one. It is a necessity in the face of alarming scientific forecasts on the climate and the nuclear threat it is aggravating. We must get started immediately. However, all money spent on nuclear is to the detriment of renewable energies.”

Jean-Luc Melenchon

at “JDD”

Christiane Taubira promises a referendum

If she is elected President of the Republic, Christiane Taubira promises a “referendum” about this question : “Do you want to get out of nuclear power in France?” On franceinfo, at the end of January, the former Minister of Justice declared that she was not “not favorable” nuclear, “taking into account radioactive waste”. The subject of nuclear power is, according to her, a “major question” Who “engages the future of French men and women, the future of our society for decades”. On these “major questions, I think that we must effectively inform citizens correctly and precisely and give them a voice”estimated the one who won the popular Primary on the left.

Fabien Roussel, “in favor of maintaining nuclear power in France”

At the risk of attacking the other left-wing parties, the communist candidate is pro-nuclear and he claims it. “I am in favor of maintaining nuclear energy in Franceexplained Fabien Roussel in Point. I am against the abandonment of nuclear reactors. I draw your attention to the fact that there are 3 million French people in fuel poverty. The nuclear fleet responds to these difficulties.” According to him, this sector allows “fight against expensive energy” and to guarantee the industry “carbon-free, controllable and stable energy” while allowing to “get out of fossil fuels”.

The national secretary of the PCF also pleads for a “public electricity and gas establishment”which would “the choice to invest in the production of renewable and nuclear energies”. He thus proposes that the State pass from 84% to 100% of the capital of EDF and to integrate gas with Engie. Today, “the State is not making the right choices. It is choosing to have a public limited company which distributes dividends to its shareholders”he said on Public Senate, Monday, February 7.


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