EU ministers to discuss reducing dependence on Russian nuclear industry

France will bring together representatives of 16 pro-nuclear European states on Tuesday to discuss ways to reduce dependence on Russian nuclear energy, France Presse reported.

To Paris at the invitation of the Minister of Energy Transition of France Agnès Pannier-Runachet the energy ministers of Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Slovakia, as well as Italy as an observer and Great Britain as a special guest will arrive. The meeting will be attended by the European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simpson.

“The ministers will discuss building European value chains of sustainability and independence” of the energy sector, including in terms of supporting nuclear energy. The parties will also discuss “possible ways to strengthen Europe’s independence from Russia – in particular, in terms of nuclear fuel and production processes in general.”

It is reported that the European pro-nuclear alliance will meet for the third time, but for the first time in a separate event, and not on the sidelines of the EU energy council.

According to the agency, France declared its readiness to provide its production facilities for the manufacture of nuclear fuel to European partners that have nuclear power plants built back in Soviet times on their territory. While French energy company EDF is still importing enriched uranium from Russia, Orano is preparing to increase its production capacity in this strategically important sector at the Tricastaing nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest.