No near or mid term substitute for nuclear power" per DGEMP

Brief

December 11, 2002

In its latest quarterly report, "Energy and Natural Resources", the French department of energy and natural resources (Direction générale de l'énergie et des matières premières) says there is "no near or mid term substitute for nuclear power." Nuclear power "will continue to dominate French electric power generation" in the foreseeable future, predicts the DGEMP, though France will have to integrate more renewable energies and "probably more natural gas." The use of "clean" fossil fuels, particularly enhanced natural gas technologies (combined cycle), cannot completely replace nuclear power because they still emit too many greenhouse gases. "If France relies on them too heavily," say the authors, "it would not be able to keep its international commitments" in the field of climate change.