Von der Leyen: nuclear phase-out a strategic mistake

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has described the decline in the share of nuclear energy in Europe as a strategic mistake. She made the remarks at a nuclear energy event in Paris at a time when governments are grappling with an energy crisis linked to the war with Iran.

According to her, Europe produced about a third of its electricity from nuclear energy in 1990, but today the share has fallen to about 15 per cent. She said the development has contributed to dependence on oil and gas imports, whose prices have been rising sharply in recent days.

She added that complete dependence on expensive and unstable imports of fossil fuels puts Europe at a disadvantage compared with other regions.

According to the head of the European Commission, Europe’s vulnerability first became apparent after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when cheap supplies of Russian gas came to an end.

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that stable, low-carbon energy from nuclear power plants is important for industrial competitiveness. At the same time, he said Europe should diversify its nuclear fuel supplies and seek reliable suppliers instead of Russia.

According to Euratom data, approximately 15 per cent of the uranium used in the European Union in 2024 came from Russia. The largest supplier was Canada with about 34 per cent, followed by Kazakhstan with 24 per cent.

(reuters, max)