Ann: Proposed Consolidation of Capital, page-31

Does Ukraine war mean a renaissance for nuclear in EU?

Those countries in favour remain enthusiastic, however. "Nuclear energy should be considered as one of the solutions, because it has the lowest carbon-footprint [and is] already considered as a green solution by the European Commission," Bulgarian socialist MEP Tsvetelina Penkova told the European Parliament's energy committee in early March.

Her assessment was echoed by Finnish MEP Henna Virkkunen. "It is clear that member states can no longer rely on Russian gas and oil for their energy needs. Doubling down and investing in low-carbon energy, including nuclear and renewables, is now imperative in order to achieve both carbon neutrality and energy independence," she told the committee.

In a 10-point plan in March, the International Energy Agency (IEA) also suggested that the EU reduce its imports of natural gas from Russia by more than one-third within a year — partly by maximising energy production from nuclear power.

The IEA proposed that the EU temporarily delay the closure of nuclear reactors which were scheduled to shutdown over the next year, a move which could cut EU gas demand by almost 1bn cubic metres per month.