EURELECTRIC welcomes new PINC report

EURELECTRIC welcomes the long-awaited document on a Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC) as a good basis to discuss the role of nuclear energy in achieving the EU’s energy objectives. The document, published earlier this week is the first report since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in 2011 and focuses on the investments related to post-Fukushima safety upgrades and to the safe operation of existing facilities. The PINC aims to include all stakeholders, especially civil society, in the discussion on nuclear energy trends and related investments for the period up to 2050.

“A continuing contribution of nuclear power will be needed as Europe undertakes the low-carbon energy transition, but a more positive EU policy framework is needed if this is to be achieved. We welcome the Commission’s PINC document which recognises the significant investment required from this sector,” said EURELECTRIC Secretary General, Hans ten Berge. “We however regret that the PINC document does not address the competitiveness of existing and technically well-functioning nuclear reactors, which, in some countries, are being forced to shut down due to the difficult market situation and distortive national policy measures.”

Nuclear energy contributes to the three major energy policy objectives of the European Union: security of supply, decarbonisation of the electricity sector and competitive power prices in Europe. Some 28% of electricity in Europe was produced by nuclear power in 2014 and the nuclear share in low carbon electricity generation in 2014 was 54%. The Commission’s document recognises that the projection of maintaining a nuclear generation capacity of between 95 GWe and 105 GWe in the EU until 2050 and beyond would require between €350 and €450 billion to be invested in new plants to replace most of the existing nuclear power capacity. 

Last year, EURELECTRIC published a position paper as a contribution to the PINC, in which it made a number of observations and recommendations for tackling the nuclear investment dilemma.