Today, around half of the countries in the European Union (EU) generate nuclear energy. France has the most operational reactors, followed by Belgium and Spain. These nations could quickly increase power production from existing reactors since most of them usually don't run at full capacity. This was one of the solutions proposed by the International Energy Agency to reduce Europe's dependence on Russian natural gas.
The Czech Republic's government also has plans to construct at least two new nuclear reactors, while Poland's government wants to build the country's first nuclear reactor in an effort to move away from its heavy reliance on coal. The Euratom Treaty provides a stable legal framework that fostered the growth and development of the nuclear industry, while increasing the security of fuel supply for the nuclear industry and the safety of nuclear power plants. The European Commission (EC) is ready to decide later this year whether to classify nuclear energy as a clean energy source; if it does, it could boost investment in nuclear energy across the region, experts say. Cooperation within Europe and between Europe and third countries operates at several different levels.
Dries believes that the share of nuclear energy in Europe's energy mix will continue to decline, even if plans for proposed plants in the Czech Republic and Poland go ahead. The deficit in nuclear generation in the United Kingdom was covered by electricity from gas power plants and imports from Europe. However, continuing concerns following the Chernobyl accident over two types of Russian nuclear reactors in Eastern Europe led the EU to demand their closure as part of EU accession negotiations with host countries. Some nuclear research and development projects, such as the nuclear production of hydrogen to power vehicles and generate electricity, may be eligible for Green Deal funding, including part of the 265 billion euros that the EC has earmarked for investments in post-pandemic climate protection.
It allows students to earn credits in a nuclear discipline outside their host country to obtain the additional qualification of the European Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering. The EU also supports nuclear safety through several agencies and programs, such as the TACIS (CIS States) and PHARE (Eastern Europe, including the Baltic States) programs and various funds. These two events were by far the largest nuclear accidents in history; they were given a level 7 (the highest rating) on the International Nuclear Event Scale. The Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) is a network of core regulators from EU countries with nuclear power plants and Switzerland, with members from 17 countries.
The EC recommended that the Euratom Supply Agency be responsible for ensuring a diverse supply of nuclear fuel, both for the current fleet of EU nuclear power plants and those that are about to be built. France, being the EU's main atomic state with nuclear weapons and fifty-six power reactors, is ready to launch a major reinvestment in nuclear energy. The nuclear energy industry can argue that the EU favors nuclear investments by contributing to reducing carbon emissions.
