Paris (AFP)

The candidate explained, in the preamble of a press videoconference given with his spokespersons Matthieu Orphelin and Eva Sas, that he wanted to "alert against the idea" supported by Emmanuel Macron "that a very strong increase in consumption of electricity would require us to build new EPR reactors.

The three environmentalists relied in particular on the scenarios published in June by RTE, the operator of the public electricity transmission network.

The central scenario imagines for 2050 a consumption of 645 terrawatts / hour, that is to say 35% of increase compared to the current 477 TWh.

But another scenario is being considered by RTE, that of 543 TWh.

This is what environmentalists say they can reach.

According to them, a third of the difference of 102 TWh could be obtained thanks to their policy of energy renovation of private housing (with six billion euros per year of public investment against two currently, according to Eva Sas), a third via the control electricity expenditure by industry and another third through the development of efficient public transport.

"These 100 TWh change everything, because it is much easier to make 100% renewable energy with the control of electricity consumption", underlined Matthieu Orphelin, former chief economist at Ademe, the public agency of the ecological transition.

"We can decide to condemn the French to energy intoxication and impose on them new EPR-type nuclear reactors", joked Yannick Jadot, referring to the many setbacks and additional costs of the Flamanville EPR while France is planning to build six more.

Or, to guard against the "cost" and the "danger" of nuclear power, "we can emphasize the control of energy consumption, sobriety, energy efficiency, which moreover make the French less vulnerable to rising prices, while improving their comfort, "he added.

He insisted on this comfort: "The scenario of the ecologists is not to take a cold shower every month in the dark".

According to him, the renewable energy markets are promising: "At the time, ecological scenarios were more difficult to defend, when their cost was higher. Today we have an opportunity, renewable energies are less expensive. Our scenario n 'is not just climate and technological responsibility but also economic and social rationality "- the candidate assured that renewables would create more jobs than nuclear.

© 2021 AFP