Report 'Energies 2050' - Life extension of reactors is the less expensive solution

The 'Energies 2050' Commission has studied 4 scenarios for energy policy: -) a quick passing to the third generation reactors by replacing existing reactors by EPR as soon as they reach 40 years, -) a quick phaseout of nuclear energy by decommissioning reactors as soon as they reach 40 years and replacing them by renewable energies and fossil energies, -) a progressive phaseout of nuclear energy by replacing only 1 reactor out of 2 who reach 40 years by an EPR, and -) the extension of the operating life to 60 years for the actual reactors. These four scenarios have been studied along different aspects: the electricity cost, the investment needs, the CO2 emissions, the impact on jobs, on trade balance, the security of the power supply. Lifetime extension appears to be the best scenario all the more, because it spares a lot of money and give renewable energies time to get mature. (A.C.)