Presidential: what the candidates offer on nuclear power

Solène Leroux with AFP 3 p.m., March 9, 2022

Construction of new reactors, betting on renewable energies or hydrogen, total shutdown of reactors... The presidential candidates are divided on the nuclear issue.

Some candidates advocate a more or less rapid exit from the atom, such as the ecologists or the Insoumis, while others - particularly on the right and the far right, but also in the Communist Party - are in favor of this energy, while like, according to the polls, a majority of French people.

Europe 1 returns to the proposals of certain candidates.

Anne Hidalgo

The socialist candidate wants to decarbonize French energy production: "100% renewable energy, as quickly as possible."

To do this, Anne Hidalgo does not want "the construction of new EPRs or small modular reactors".

In its program, it specifies that "nuclear power will be used as a transition energy, without a hasty exit so as not to drive up the price of energy".

Yannick Jadot

"At least ten nuclear reactors will be shut down by 2035."

The objective of the environmental candidate's program is clear, he wants to get out of nuclear power by "gradually closing the reactors currently in operation".

If elected, Yannick Jadot will "not open the Flamanville EPR given the impossibility of having prospects for the completion of the work within reasonable deadlines, costs and safety conditions".

Marine Le Pen

The candidate of the National Rally wants to "relaunch the nuclear and hydroelectric sector and invest in the hydrogen sector", in particular by launching the construction of six new EPRs.

Marine Le Pen is also campaigning for the reopening of the Fessenheim power plant.

She also wants to put an end to renewable energy projects such as wind power. 

"This wind farm will obviously be the first that I will stop if I am elected President of the Republic", she promised at the microphone of Europe 1 in Saint-Brieuc in mid-January.

"Once again, it's an ecological, economic, strategic absurdity", listed Marine Le Pen.

Emmanuel Macron

At the beginning of February, the president-candidate presented his energy strategy for the decades to come, promising a "rebirth" of French nuclear power.

If in 2017, the candidate Macron wanted to reduce the share of nuclear to 50% of electricity production, five years later, he promised the construction of 6 to 14 new reactors for 2050, a pro-nuclear development.

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Jean-Luc Melenchon

The rebellious candidate wants to get out of nuclear power by 2045, a source of energy which he describes as "unsuited to the new climate situation".

"We have to get out of nuclear power. Not out of ideology, but because it is dangerous and more and more," he said during a meeting in Nantes.

To gradually get out of nuclear power, Jean-Luc Mélenchon is counting on renewable energies and "investment in energy innovations" by redirecting support for research.

Valerie Pécresse

The winner of the Republican primary specifies in her program that she wishes to relaunch the country's energy policy by relying on nuclear power, "which is a low-carbon, competitive energy and which is based on technologies and know-how from French excellence".

Valérie Pécresse therefore also wants to launch the construction of six new EPRs. 

Eric Zemmour

The candidate of the Reconquest party!

wants to relaunch the nuclear sector, by extending "the life of the existing fleet to at least 60 years" but also by removing "the objective of reducing the share of nuclear power in our energy mix to 50% in the electricity mix by 2050 ".

Éric Zemmour also wants to "launch the construction of at least 14 new EPR2 nuclear reactors by 2050".