Nuclear developments in Europe

Christian TailleboisExternal Relations DirectorFORATOM

International Nuclear Forum, Varna, Bulgaria, 2 June 2011

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• Brussels-based trade association for the nuclear industry in Europe.

• Membership:

- 16 national nuclear associations active across Europe.

- Nearly 800 firms are represented: from Europe's (and the world's) largest nuclear utilities and nuclear fuel cycle companies to other undertakings engaged in the transport of nuclear materials and the management of radioactive waste.

About FORATOM

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FORATOM Membership

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FORATOM’s Mission

• Act as voice of nuclear energy industry in EU energy policy debate

• Enhance relations between nuclear industry and EU installations

• Deliver information on nuclear energy to EU institutions, media and the public

• Inform members about developments emerging from EU institutions

• Interact with intergovernmental organisations (IAEA, OECD/NEA, IEA, etc.)

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• A total of 144 nuclear reactors in the EU (148 including CH)• 4 units under construction (1 in Finland, 1 in France, and 2 in Slovakia)• 28% of total electricity is generated from nuclear in the EU• +600 million tonnes of CO2eq emissions were saved in Europe in 2008.

Nuclear overview in Europe

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FORATOM’s vision

“To support the development of nuclear energy in Europe through sustained, highly proactive and visible actions in order to ensure that a long-term EU-wide low-carbon energy strategy includes the continued deployment of nuclear technologies.

This deployment aims to maintain, and ultimately increase, nuclear energy’s one third share of the electricity generation market.”

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• Security of supply:- Secure base load energy- Plentiful uranium from politically stable countries- Greater energy independence • Climate change: - Nuclear saves nearly 608 million tonnes of CO2eq

emissions per year - Supports drive towards a low-carbon economy

Factors driving the nuclear revival (1)

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• Competitiveness: - High construction cost but operating, maintenance

and fuel costs lower than other base load sources- 60 year operation - Nuclear energy is currently recognised as the least

cost option for baseload centralised generation, even in low CO2 price scenarios

• Jobs: - Nuclear industry employs around 500,000 people- 1 new unit provides around 700 jobs (400

permanent + 300 supply chain and local service jobs)

Factors driving the nuclear revival (2)

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Nuclear developments in Europe

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• Under construction:

- Finland: EPR (TVO: Olkiluoto) online by 2013

- France: EPR (EDF: Flamanville) online by 2014

- Slovakia: 2 VVER-440 units (Slovenské Elektrárne: Mochovce) online by 2013/2014

Nuclear new build in Europe (Pre-Fukushima) (1)

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• Under consideration/planned:

- Bulgaria: New units considered (Belene/Kozloduy).- Czech Republic: Tender received for 2 reactors at Temelin- Finland: Two more units online by 2020 (TVO &

Fennovoima)- France: Second EPR unit online by 2017 at Penly- Hungary: Government wants 2 more units by 2025- Italy: At least 4 EPRs by 2020- Lithuania: New unit considered (Ignalina)

Nuclear new build in Europe (Pre-Fukushima) (2)

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• Under consideration/planned:

- Poland: First NPP by 2022 (Zarnowiec identified)- Netherlands: Second unit considered (begin in 2015, at

Borsele)- Romania: Two more units planned (Cernavoda)- Slovenia: Second unit considered (Krško)- Sweden: New units considered- UK: 8 sites identified in draft Government Policy Statement,

1st unit online by 2018

Nuclear new build in Europe (Pre-Fukushima) (3)

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• Netherlands: Borsele (10 years).

• Spain: Garoña (4 years); Cofrentes (10 years). Legal reference to the 40-year life of nuclear reactors recently removed

• Belgium: Doel et Tihange (10 years). Government’s decision yet to be approved by Parliament

• Germany: 8 more years for older NPPs and 14 years for younger ones beyond 2021; new fuel tax; fund for the development of RES

Long-term operation (Pre-Fukushima)

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And then an unexpected tsunami hit Japan…

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• MS who haven’t changed their nuclear policy

Post-Fukushima

• MS who decided to postpone any decision

• MS who took immediate decision

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• MS who decided to postpone any decision

Post-Fukushima

- Decision to extend lifetime of NPPs put on hold until “stress tests” carried out. Discussion on how much utilities should pay for LTO.

- One-year moratorium on the construction of the country's first NPP by 2020. Amendment tabled extending moratorium indefinitely. June referendum?

- Government has suspended the approval process for the construction of three new NPPs in order to review safety standards.

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• The German case…

Post-Fukushima

- Immediate closure of seven NPPs,- Three-month moratorium on the decision to extend the

operational duration of the NPPs- Shutdown of all NPPs by 2022

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EU and industry response to Fukushima accident

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European Council conclusions (1) - Safety of EU NPPs should be reviewed, on the basis of

a comprehensive and transparent risk and safety assessment (“stress tests”)

- ENSREG to develop scope and modalities of these tests with full involvement of Member States, making full use of available expertise (notably WENRA)

- Assessments will be conducted by relevant national authorities and results should be shared with the EC and ENSREG

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- EU to request similar “stress tests” in neighbouring countries and worldwide – full use of relevant international organisations

- EC to review existing legal and regulatory framework for the safety of nuclear insulations (2009 Safety Directive etc…)

European Council conclusions (2)

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European nuclear industry’s response- European NPPs are safe

- No need for premature decision

- The nuclear community has to take into account all lessons to be learned from Fukushima accident

- We are ready to cooperate- definition of the criteria of the stress tests (contribution from

FORATOM/ENISS)- Implementation of the stress tests

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EU “Stress Tests” specifications (1) - Initiating events

- Earthquakes exceeding the design basis- Flooding exceeding the design basis

- Consequential loss of safety functions from any initiating event

- Prolonged total loss of electrical power- Prolonged loss of the ultimate heat sink- Combination of both

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EU “Stress Tests” specifications (2)- Accident management issues

- Loss of core cooling function- Loss of cooling function in the spent fuel storage

- Extreme scenarios- Most unfavourable operational states- degraded situation outside the plant- the possibility of several units being affected at the same

time

- Terrorist threats to be considered as part as a separate process

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EU “Stress Tests” specifications (3) 1 June: Start of self-assessment by licensees based on questionnaire provided by national regulators

15 August: Finalisation of self-assessments by licensees, start of revision by national regulators

15 September: Finalisation of revision by national regulators, start of peer-review process

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EU “Stress Tests” specifications (4) 31 October: Finalisation of peer-review process

9 December: Presentation of EC’s Progress Report to the European Council

June 2012: Presentation of EC’s Consolidated Report to the Council, Proposal of revised Nuclear Safety Directive

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What will the consequences of Fukushima be?- The accident has already had some consequences

- political decisions- Negative impact on the image of nuclear (nuclear accident in a

highly-developed country with a mature nuclear industry)

- EU citizens remain confident in the safety of their country’s nuclear plants

- Fundamentals of nuclear energy remain unchanged

- Electricity demand will continue to rise- 2595 TWh en 2010 3242 TWh en 2020 (Eurelectric «Power Choices » 2010)

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Conclusion

- = ?+

Thank you for your attention!

@FORATOM_nuclear www.foratom.org

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• Directive on Radioactive Waste Management (June 2011)• Energy Roadmap to 2050 (3rd quarter 2011)• Community Illustrative Nuclear Programme (PINC) (3rd quarter 2011)• Regulation establishing a Community system for Registration of Carriers

of Radioactive Materials (2011 - if legal difficulties are resolved)• Directive on Basic Radioprotection Standards (2011)• 3rd triennial Report on Decommissioning Funds (2011)• Water Framework Directive (review of the list of priority substances)

(2011)• Recommendation on the financing of research reactors for the production

of medical isotopes (2011)

Key up-coming nuclear issues in 2011