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Amended legislation includes major research and development push with SMRs, Generation IV and clean hydrogen The Flamanville-3 EPR is the only nuclear power plant under construction in FRance. Courtesy EDF. The French Senate has adopted an amended bill that aims to reduce bureaucracy around the construction of new nuclear reactors and includes a provision for the removal of a 50% cap on the share of nuclear power in the electricity mix by 2035.

The bill, which still needs to go before the National Assembly, was adopted in first reading on 24 January by 239 votes to 16.

The bill aims to speed up procedures related to the construction of new nuclear facilities near existing nuclear sites and to the operation of existing installations.

Energy minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher hopes to save up to 56 months on construction by simplifying administrative procedures for building new facilities near existing nuclear sites.

The bill says France will pursue research and innovation efforts in the direction of nuclear energy and low-carbon hydrogen, in particular by supporting pressurised European reactors, small modular reactors, Generation IV reactors and the €20bn ($21bn) International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (Iter) nuclear fusion plant under construction at Cadarache in southern France.

In July 2020, the Iter project – the biggest of its kind in the world – began its five-year assembly phase, but is facing delays because of problems with major components.

The bill also calls for the closing of the nuclear fuel cycle, which means spent nuclear fuel is reprocessed and partly reused, and the use of nuclear reactors to produce clean hydrogen.

Macron Aiming To Relaunch Nuclear Programme

Former president Francois Hollande’s government announced in 2014 that nuclear capacity would be capped at the current level of 63.2 GW and be limited to 50% of France's total output by 2025.

The energy ministry said in September 2022 that France was drafting legislation to streamline bureaucracy around nuclear power projects and aimed to start construction of its first next-generation EPR2 nuclear power plant before May 2027.

In February 2022 president Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to relaunch the country’s commercial nuclear programme with the construction of at least six new nuclear power reactors – and the possibility of eight more for a total of 14.

He said the new plants would be built and operated by state-controlled power company and nuclear operator EDF and that tens of billions of euros in public financing would be mobilised to finance the projects and safeguard EDF’s finances.

Macron also announced he wanted to extend the lifespan of older nuclear plants to 50 years or more from 40 years currently, provided it was safe.

The first new EPR2 reactor, an evolution of France’s existing EPR technology, would come online by 2035, Macron said. Studies for a further eight reactors beyond the initial half-dozen new plants would be launched, he added.

France has 56 commercial nuclear power reactors that provide about 70% of its electricity, the highest share of any country. It has one unit, an EPR, under construction at Flamanville-3.

The bill says France will continue to support major R&D projects such as the Iter nuclear fusion plant. Courtesy Iter.

Date: Saturday, 04 February 2023
Original article: nucnet.org/news/senate-passes-nuclear-bureaucracy-bill-as-country-gears-up-for-nuclear-renaissance-1-4-2023