French Grid Says Cheapest Net-Zero Path Needs Nuclear Power
- Building new reactors would reduce energy transition cost
- Operator also studied cost of building nuclear-free network
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France must build 14 new nuclear reactors, alongside a surge in renewables investment by 2050, if it is to meet its carbon-neutral goals at the cheapest cost, and without endangering supply, the country’s grid operator said in a report.
It foresees a 35% jump in electricity demand to decarbonize transport and manufacturing, highlighting the challenges faced by most countries to fight global warming. The study comes as Europe is engulfed in an energy crisis that lays bare the continent’s dependence on fossil fuel imports.