TERRA Mileniul III Calea Plevnei 46-48 Bucuresti sector1 tel:+40 21 312 6870 fax: 314 1227 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://terraiii.ngo.ro _____ From: Philippe Brousse - Reseau Sortir du nucleaire - Directeur [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 11:51 AM To: Liste no-nukes; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: REUTERS - France's Royal says nuclear share should be lowered France's Royal says nuclear share should be lowered Wed 15 Nov 2006 16:49:21 GMT PARIS, Nov 15 (Reuters) - France's socialist presidential hopeful Segolene Royal on Wednesday said the high share of nuclear power in the French electricity mix should be gradually lowered to allow a place for more renewable energy. France is the world's second most nuclear-reliant nation after the United States and nuclear production makes up almost 80 percent of its total power output. The socialist party holds a primary ballot on Thursday to select their candidate for next year's presidential election and polls suggest Royal will become the official socialist candidate. Royal was environment minister in 1992-1993. "I find excessive the share of nuclear in the French electricity production," Royal said in a letter answering questions from the French anti-nuclear group "Sortir du Nucleaire". "It is therefore essential to reduce it gradually, in reasonable delays and to diversify our electricity production modes...," she said, adding the share of renewables should reach 20 percent by 2020. Royal also questionned the need for the new European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), work on which is expected to start in 2007. "I deplore that the decision to build the EPR was taken hastily and without any preliminary debate," she said. Royal also pledged to put an end to make the French nuclear sector more open. "All the decisions related to nuclear will be subjected to a public debate fed by undeniable scientific studies," she said.
