Germany sticking to plan to phase out the country's 17 nuclear reactors by 2021
– Edited by April Murelio –
According to a report in Reuters, EDF chairman and chief executive Pierre Gadonneix said on Wednesday he wants Germany to select EPR nuclear power technology, adding E.ON could yet participate in building of another reactor at Penly.
"We are in discussion with (E.ON) executives about their entry in Penly (the latest planned French EPR). They say that they are interested," Gadonneix told Le Monde news. "It would be a good thing that Germany made the choice of the EPR (Evolutionary Power Reactor). All its electricity producers (E.ON, RWE, EnBW, Vattenfall) think that nuclear should be developed," he added.
So far, Germany is sticking to a 2001 law to phase out the country's 17 nuclear reactors by 2021, despite Chancellor Angela Merkel's wish to extend the use of nuclear power to ensure future energy supplies and help combat emissions.
"There is already CGNPC in China, Constellation in the U.S., Electrabel (GDF Suez) in France and tomorrow Enel in Italy," Gadonneix said. "The electrical power industry is getting close to the oil industry — to develop very costly projects and to exploit reserves there is only one operator but several partners to share the costs. "I believe the nuclear sector will follow suit."
In February, EDF signed an agreement with Enel to study the feasibility of building four nuclear power plants in Italy and to extend Enel's involvement in France's nuclear programme.
Gadonneix added a crucial objective was to extend the life of its 58 nuclear reactors by 10 or 20 years at a cost of 400 million euros per reactor, or 10 percent of the cost of an EPR.