15th April 2008
EU energy policy commissioner Andris Piebalgs has urged the nuclear industry to confront public concerns about the sector’s safety.
Addressing a major conference in Brussels on Tuesday, Piebalgs said that securing "public and political acceptance" was crucial to the industry’s long-term future.
He said, "Nuclear safety must never be compromised if acceptance of nuclear power is to be attained."
Piebalgs’ remarks came as he opened the European nuclear assembly in Brussels, a two-day gathering of key players in the sector.
He reminded the audience that, currently, nuclear power provides more than one third of the EU’s energy needs.
It is, he said, a "stable and reliable" source of energy and one which is "relatively free" of price fluctuations which may adversely affect other areas of the energy sector.
"The continued use of nuclear energy will contribute to efforts in tackling climate change.
"But it is also important that the industry confronts several important issues which need to be addressed, the first of which is public and political acceptance.
"The need to address the issue of safety in the industry is absolutely necessary," he told the packed assembly.
In his speech, the Latvian commissioner also said that member states must accept that the era of "cheap energy supply is over."
This was a particular issue for EU countries as 50 per cent of their energy needs are currently met by imports. This is expected to rise to 70 per cent by 2030, he said.
Turning to the issue of climate change, he told the meeting that this was "a fight which we cannot postpone.
"Parts of southern Europe are already facing the direct consequences of global warming so it is in all our interests to act now."
His comments were echoed by conference chairman, Bruno Lescoeur, vice president of French state-owned energy utility EDF, who said the nuclear industry faced a "great responsibility" in meeting the challenge of climate change.
"However, we cannot meet this challenge alone," he stressed. "That is why we are looking to Europe’s policymakers for a clear vision on our future energy needs."
The conference is organised by Brussels-based Foratom, the European nuclear industry trade association.
Others taking part include MEPs, experts from the industry and other stakeholders.
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