France: Nuclear safety reform will not return in final version of acceleration law

The controversial nuclear safety reform is not expected to be included in the final discussions on the nuclear acceleration bill, sources told AFP. Members of Parliament rejected the government's amendment in March and future debates should respect their vote.

Share:

The reform of nuclear safety, a controversial project of the government, should not make its reappearance via the final discussions in Parliament on the bill to accelerate nuclear power, according to sources concordant with the AFP.

The National Assembly rejected the government’s safety amendment in March, while passing the rest of the bill to speed up administrative procedures for building new nuclear reactors. However, the Minister of Energy Transition Agnès Pannier Runacher had said her intention to carry out this reform, which aims to merge the Institute of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (ISRN) in the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) to “fluidify” the decisions.

Deputies and senators are scheduled to meet on May 4 in a joint committee (CMP) to agree on the final version of the bill, before final votes are scheduled on May 9 in the Senate and May 16 in the Assembly. But on safety, “the National Assembly has expressed itself. I regret this result because I remain convinced of the validity (of this reform, editor’s note). But the CMP respects the vote of the deputies”, said to AFP the deputy (Renaissance) Maud Bregeon, rapporteur of the text.

The deputy even supports the idea of “removing from the text any reference to the merger”, in order to “stick to the status quo” on the current organization, at this stage. For Daniel Grémillet (LR), rapporteur for the Senate, “the major subject” is the future energy policy of France. As for safety, “this is not a subject that can be dealt with on a corner of the table,” he told AFP, as senators have already expressed their anger at the late arrival of this proposal, even after their first reading vote.

A government source confirms that “it is not the objective to come back to it in CMP”. And “it is too early” to respond on the planned continuation of this reform, the Ministry of Energy Transition adds. The proposed disappearance of the IRSN is opposed by staff, parliamentarians and specialists who see it as a loss of independence, competence and the ability of experts to express themselves, at a time when France wants to launch a new reactor program.

Energy Exploration Technologies acquires Daytona Lithium, an Australian subsidiary of Pantera Lithium, for AUD40mn ($27mn), bringing its strategic lithium basin footprint in Smackover, USA to nearly 50,000 acres.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has identified no major barriers to licensing the ARC-100 reactor, announces ARC Clean Technology.
SE Ignalina, the Lithuanian nuclear operator, has signed a memorandum of understanding with French firm Newcleo to explore the integration of small modular reactors (SMRs) using lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) technology in Lithuania.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi oversaw the signing of new agreements for the construction of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant, thus strengthening the strategic cooperation between Egypt and Russia.
Vistra Corp receives green light to extend Perry nuclear plant operations in Ohio by 20 years, securing regional electricity supply until 2046 and ensuring operational continuity for all its nuclear reactors in the United States.
EDF will hold a 12.5% stake in the Sizewell C nuclear project in the UK, a €1.3 billion investment announced during Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to London, confirming the strategic nuclear energy alignment between the two countries.
The French Cigéo project, designed to bury the most hazardous radioactive waste deep underground, obtains a crucial technical validation before its final authorization, expected by the end of 2027.
EDF confirms the continuation of its industrial project in Fessenheim for recycling very low-level radioactive metals, a first in France requiring specific regulatory authorizations, following a public debate concluded last February.
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. formalizes its collaboration with UrAmerica Ltd. to strengthen Argentina’s uranium supply, aiming to secure future nuclear fuel supply chains for the U.S. market.
American companies SHINE Technologies and Standard Nuclear partner to recycle uranium and plutonium, supplying advanced fuel to the nuclear reactor sector and enhancing the national energy security of the United States.
The American Bureau of Shipping and two nuclear sector companies are studying the potential deployment of floating nuclear power plants to meet the energy needs of island and coastal regions in the Mediterranean, notably via electricity and desalination.
Lithuania establishes a working group tasked with assessing the feasibility of modular nuclear reactors to meet electricity demand estimated at 74 TWh by 2050.
Framatome has secured two significant contracts from Electrabel covering modernisation and technical support for the Tihange 3 and Doel 4 nuclear reactors, as part of their extension agreed upon between Engie and the Belgian government.
Cairo is stepping up connection works for the planned 4,800 MW El-Dabaa nuclear plant, developed with Rosatom, to feed the grid from 2026 with output equal to about seven % of national electricity.
EDF extends Flamanville EPR's shutdown to August 13 to conduct technical checks on three valves of the reactor's primary circuit, initially scheduled to resume production this week.
The US Department of Energy has selected Westinghouse and Radiant Nuclear to conduct the first nuclear microreactor tests at the DOME experimental centre located in Idaho, with operational start expected in spring 2026.
GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Fortum announce partnership aimed at preparing for the potential deployment of small modular reactors in Finland and Sweden, with commissioning scheduled for the 2030s.
Energy Fuels Inc. announced record production of 638,700 pounds of uranium during the second quarter of 2025 at its Pinyon Plain mine in Arizona, significantly surpassing initial site performance forecasts.
Argentina and Peru have signed an agreement expanding their scientific and technological cooperation in the civil nuclear field, including joint research projects and specialised training programmes for future development.
After several decades without funding nuclear projects, the World Bank has formed a strategic partnership with the IAEA to provide technical and financial support to countries integrating nuclear energy into their energy strategies.