The UK government has signed a nuclear energy expansion agreement with 12 European Union (EU) member states.
The member states believe that nuclear energy can play an important role in the EU’s future low-carbon energy mix and have agreed to collaborate on low carbon infrastructure projects.
As per the deal, which is intended to reduce Europe’s carbon emissions, the states will be free to determine their own energy mixes.
UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said that it’s vital for the country’s economy to work with its European partners to make the EU a leading destination for investment in new low-carbon energy infrastructure.
“This communiqué signals a move to a stronger, better and closer working relationship between member states on nuclear energy,” Davey added.
“By working together to enable low-carbon energy projects to come forward we will go some way to reducing the EU’s carbon emissions and ensuring greater energy security.”
The UK and France have agreed to provide GBP12.5m of funding to the Jules Horowitz research reactor and work closely on research and development. The funding will give UK-based academics and nuclear industry access to the reactor.