New nuclear regulations backed

CALLS for international regulation of nuclear power stations have been backed by France. UN body the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wants the right to inspect power stations and impose uniform standards.

The measure could benefit France as its latest-generation power stations have higher safety standards than, for example, the cheaper Korean model that beat it to a contract in Abu Dhabi two years ago, or the Chinese CPR-1000.

The Fukushima disaster led to several countries including Germany, Switzerland and Italy pledging to stop using nuclear power while France said that it would focus on safety standards. Energy minister Nathalie Kosciusko- Morizet said at a recent IAEA meeting in Austria she favoured giving it more power. It currently only gives recommendations, with national authorities having a final say. France has 59 reactors, compared to 19 in the UK or 17 in Germany, with other European countries having 10 or less each.

As they prepare for next year’s presidential elections, the Greens have promised an eventual pull-out, while the Socialists have spoken of reducing France’s reliance on nuclear.