Part of the opposition is offended by the convocation of this presidential council before the end of the public debate on the energy guidelines of tomorrow and the examination of the programming bill on energy and the climate.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
“Arbitrations” and “orientations” are expected. Emmanuel Macron brings together, Friday, February 3, his “piloting cabin” of nuclear policy on Friday, February 3 to hold “the course” and the rate of the accelerated revival of the sector, a year after this turning point wanted by the Head of State to do Faced with energy and climatic crises.
This nuclear policy council is held in the morning at the Elysée in the presence of Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, several members of her government and representatives of the Nuclear Safety Authority and the Atomic Energy Commissariat .
On February 10, 2022 in Belfort, the president, then in the campaign for his re -election, had defined an energy policy which devoted his change of foot on civil nuclear, with this vast recovery plan, as well as the development of renewable energies , and a greater “sobriety”. Since then, the adoption of a bill to develop renewable energies is on the right track in Parliament and the Senate voted at first reading a text to accelerate and simplify the construction of new reactors.
The advice of Friday is therefore a step to comply with the promised construction calendar of six new reactors and small SMR type reactors
The meeting must also devote the launch of “works” and “studies” so that the government can rule on the extension of the lifespan of existing reactors from forty to sixty years, as required by EDF.
“a chef on board”
A presidential advisor mentioned a “mobilization issue” of all the players in the sector to ensure that the deadlines will be held. The year 2023 is crucial for the energy future of France which must include in the law the part devolved to each sector, and in particular to nuclear, to get out of fossil fuels and reach carbon neutrality in 2050. Some in the opposition were also offended by the summons of this presidential council before the end of the current public debate on the energy system of tomorrow and before the Parliament debated the future programming law on energy and the climate, expected For summer.
“The President of the Republic tramples the parliamentary debate”, indignant socialist deputies in a press release, affirming that “it is in the parliament to determine the future energy mix of France”. “We cannot say that, on the one hand, there is the climatic emergency and, on the other hand, repel the decisions again and again”, in particular with the energy crisis amplified by the war in Ukraine, replied- We in the entourage of Emmanuel Macron, however ensuring respecting “order” of decisions.
“Now that the CAP is clear, we need a driving cabin and a chief on board,” pleaded the Elysée. The presidency insisted on the historical nature of this “immense project” for the new reactors “which weighs more than 60 billion euros”, even if the key question of funding, which must still be decided, will not be ‘Agenda Friday.
“It is important that we have a site manager and that we can be able to hold all of the deadlines and costs,” said an advisor, adding that this mission would be “entrusted to the Prime Minister “.