As the ongoing debt crisis forces increasingly large reductions in government spending among European countries, the French government has made it clear that nuclear power will not be a target for cuts.
Energy and industry minister Eric Besson said Wednesday that planning for new Areva EPRs at the Flamanville and Penly plants would not be affected by a €7 billion austerity measure. The Wall Street Journal also quoted him as saying the country has no plans to reduce its dependence on nuclear power, which is responsible for 400,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Reactors generate three quarters of French electricity at rates that are among the lowest in Europe, according to the World Nuclear Association. France is the world’s largest net exporter of electricity, most of which is generated by 58 pressurized water reactors with a total capacity of 63 gigawatts electric.