The parliamentary committee addressed the operating time extension for the Cattenom nuclear power plant on Thursday morning.

Anyone looking south between Dudelange and Schengen may be able to view up to four thick white clouds, emanating from the nuclear power plant which was opened just across the French border in the 1980s. Now, the Cattenom plant is the 12th largest nuclear power plant in the world.
At the time of its conception, Cattenom was planned to operate for a period spanning 40 years, which is set to come to an end over the next couple of years.

The Green Party's François Bausch noted that another plant in Fessenheim - also a direct border area - did not have its operating time extended, following pressure from Baden-Württemberg. This then begs the question as to whether Luxembourg will exert similar pressure in the case of Cattenom.

Environmental minister Serge Wilmes said yes: "It's a very clear political statement that we stand by, and we will act on it using all means possible."

However, Wilmes added it was doubtful that French president Emmanuel Macron will follow this path. The agreement to close the Fessenheim nuclear power plant after the 40 year-term had elapsed was negotiated by previous French President François Hollande, and there was increased pressure to close due to the Fukushima disaster.

Nowadays, in contrast, France is focusing on the expansion of its nuclear power. Despite this, the majority of Luxembourg's political parties agree they should continue to put pressure on France to agree on closure.

Only ADR MP Tom Weidig disagreed with the decision, in a minor debate with Bausch.

The committee also discussed energy efficiency, as the EU has signalled plans to increase targets for countries with the most ambitious goals. Luxembourg is unlikely to participate in this context due to the lack of capacity to vote in the short term.

The full session can be viewed on the Chamber website.

Have you ever wondered how Luxembourg prepares for potential security issues surrounding the nuclear power plant? Then, take a look at our article where we go into that very question.