Call for government's position on EU subsidizing nuclear power plants

national | environment | press release Sunday December 13, 2020 19:09 by foie - Friends of the Irish Environment

Press Release - Friends of the Irish Environment 10th Dec 2020

The environmental charity Friends of the Irish Environment has called on Taoiseach Micheal Martin to clarify the Irish government's position in relation to efforts to allow the EU to subsidize nuclear power plants. According to a document seen by Friends of the Irish environment, several countries, including France, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, want the EU to allow subsidies to nuclear plants in return for backing a higher EU 2030 climate target. However, other countries including Luxembourg and Austria, are rejecting these plans. The position of the Irish government is not clear.

FRIENDS OF THE IRISH ENVIRONMENT CALLS ON MICHEAL MARTIN TO REJECT PLANS FOR EU NUCLEAR SUBSIDIES

The environmental charity Friends of the Irish Environment has called on Taoiseach Micheal Martin to clarify the Irish government's position in relation to efforts to allow the EU to subsidize nuclear power plants. According to a document seen by Friends of the Irish environment, several countries, including France, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, want the EU to allow subsidies to nuclear plants in return for backing a higher EU 2030 climate target. However, other countries including Luxembourg and Austria, are rejecting these plans. The position of the Irish government is not clear.

The proposals come as part of the negotiations as EU leaders negotiate to increase Europe's target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 in a virtual summit taking place on the 10 and 11 December.

A spokesperson for Friends of the Irish Environment said "This is the latest in a string of efforts by the failing nuclear industry to secure massive public bailouts to extend the lifetimes of its aging nuclear plants. There is a clear risk to the Irish public in the potential risks of a nuclear accident from a European nuclear plant that is kept open well past its safe lifetime with these kind of subsidies. The key question is what is the Irish government doing about it?"

A report by the French Ministry of Economics published earlier this year estimated the debt of the French state-owned nuclear company EDF at EUR41.1 billion and projected it to grow to EUR 56.9 billion in 2028.

EU leaders are expected to agree on the EU's 2030 climate target by the end of the European Council on 11 December.

ENDS

Contact: Tony Lowes 353 (0)27 74771 / 353 (0)87 2176316

Letter:
https://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.org/library/17915-letter-to-taoiseach-seeking-nuclear-subsidy-position

Background on via leaked document on state of EDF, the French nuclear construction company.

https://www.transitionsenergies.com/etat-edf-reacteurs-nucleaires-epr/#:~:text=Selon%20le%20document%20de%20la,sa%20rentabilit%C3%A9%20est%20trop%20faible.

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