€1bn boost for French nuclear
Sarkozy pledges investment in 'nuclear programme of the future' and says pulling out 'makes no sense'
FRANCE has pledged to spend a further €1bn on developing nuclear power - despite growing concerns about safety following the Fukushima disaster in Japan.
President Sarkozy said the government would invest in "the nuclear programme of the future" - including better research into safety - because pulling out of nuclear "makes no sense".
He also pledged €1.35bn to develop other renewable energy sources, saying "there is no alternative to nuclear energy today".
Several of France's neighbours have announced a withdrawal from nuclear power following the Japanese earthquake in March which caused a nuclear reactor to melt down and leak radiation.
Germany is planning to shut down its nuclear reactors by 2022. Switzerland expects to stop by 2034 and Italy has voted not to restart the country's nuclear programme.
However, France is heavily reliant on nuclear power, with 58 reactors supplying about three quarters of the country's electricity.
Three quarters of French people support a gradual shut-down of nuclear power plants within 30 years, according to an opinion poll for the Journal du Dimanche published earlier this month.
