After haunting the EU summit last week, opposition between member states in favour of or critics of nuclear power is complicating negotiations on several key climate texts this week.

Ministers must therefore adopt their position on legislation to adapt gas networks to the rise of hydrogen and biomethane, via an incentive regulatory framework for investors, producers and consumers.

"There is strong support for virtually all measures," but a possible reference to "low-carbon" hydrogen, i.e. produced with electricity from nuclear power, has been the subject of heated discussions upstream, according to a European diplomat.

The atom is also at the heart of final talks between negotiators of the Council (the member states) and the European Parliament to finalize Wednesday a vast law on renewable energies, with "renewable" hydrogen targets to be achieved in transport and industry.

The France calls in this text for equal treatment between renewable hydrogen and low-carbon, which was fiercely rejected in mid-March in a joint letter by seven anti-nuclear countries (Germany, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain).

According to diplomatic sources, the ministers could discuss it "informally" to outline compromises.

"A minority of states demand that nuclear energy be taken into account, another is categorically against: these two minorities block each other," the diplomat said.

"This double blockage will have to be resolved (...) The France will move forward with its partners" in order to obtain "recognition of the role of low-carbon in the transition," said one in Paris.

A cooling tower at the Biblis nuclear power plant near Frankfurt on February 23, 2023 © Daniel ROLAND / AFP

Pro-nuclear "Alliance"

On the sidelines of a meeting of Energy Ministers in Stockholm, the France brought together ten other EU countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) at the end of February ready to defend the atom and strengthen their cooperation in the sector.

To weigh in the debates, the French minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher gathers again Tuesday morning the counterparts of this "alliance", with a number of States "perhaps higher than last time", says his cabinet.

Another alarm for Paris: the Commission unveiled in mid-March a plan to boost green industries, which mentions nuclear power but does not grant it the advantages intended for renewables (acceleration of authorisation procedures, financing facilities, etc.).

"Only zero-emission technologies that we consider strategic for the future will have full access to the benefits," Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday on the sidelines of the summit.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on March 24, 2023 © Olivier Matthys / POOL / AFP

"The expression is unfortunate (...) clearly not consistent with the climate issue," says Agnès Pannier-Runacher's cabinet.

"In all texts, we call for the recognition of technological neutrality," leaving states free to choose ways to decarbonize, he argues.

Thus, "we do not see why a technology would be favored" since hydrogen is produced without emitting CO2, says the ministry.

-'Timid proposal'-

Finally, the nuclear issue should color Tuesday the very first debate of ministers on the reform of the electricity market proposed mid-March by the Commission.

It does not intend to touch the wholesale market where daily prices are suspended at gas prices - but wants to develop long-term contracts, applicable to renewables as well as nuclear, to smooth consumer bills, offer predictable revenues to producers and encourage investment.

Brussels wants to impose the use of state-guaranteed price contracts (CFDs) in the event of public aid for any new investment in these "carbon-free energies", including for example in existing nuclear power plants.

"This is the main point of difficulty," observes a diplomat.

Paris, very satisfied, sees it as a way to contribute to the financing of the French nuclear fleet, while Berlin (supporter of a minimum reform) and its six allies asked in February for optional CFDs strictly reserved for new renewable infrastructures...

© 2023 AFP