The time has come for Greece to explore if nuclear modular reactors can play a role in its energy system, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday, in a conference on nuclear power held in Paris.
“The time for my country has come to explore if nuclear power and especially if small nuclear reactors can play a role in the Greek power system,” he underlined.
The Greek prime minister stressed that Greece has invested heavily in renewable energy in recent years, adding that more than half of electricity now comes from solar and wind power. He explained that “renewables have turned the country from a net electricity importer into an exporter of electricity,” while adding that “we will continue to invest in solar and wind.”
However, he noted, Europe cannot achieve what it wants without nuclear power and “unfortunately, Europe has lately turned away from nuclear energy. In two decades, nuclear output in Europe has declined. All the solar panels installed in the EU over the past 20 years did not make up for the loss of nuclear power. Nuclear energy is clearly having a comeback,” Mitsotakis added.
The Greek premier also said that Greece is particularly interested in nuclear energy in shipping, noting that the technology has been used in the military for decades.
“We have no reliable solution for decarbonizing shipping,” he stated and added: “Nuclear energy must be part of that discussion, and Greece wants to be at the forefront. Greece is ready to write a new chapter. It is a friend of nuclear energy, whether nuclear power ends up playing a role in Greece or not.”
“In times of major upheaval, all options should be on the table, and our task is for nuclear energy to be part of the solution again,” he said.