A clear governanceAnother issue key that of the operator

The State will have to quickly stop the sharing of roles between EDF and its partners on the future nuclear reactor Penly, Seine-Maritime. Announced by Nicolas Sarkozy in January 2009, this project indeed is entering a concrete phase, with the opening of the public debate on this issue. The special commission set up last year should launch the debate at a press conference which will take place the week of March 22, i.e. just after the regional elections. For four months, until late July, meetings will be held regularly with all stakeholders. The National Commission for public debate (CNDP) then two months to submit its report to the National Assembly and the contracting authority, in the case of EDF, finally will have three months, until late January 2011, to react. The CNDP has yet to definitively validate this schedule in a meeting scheduled for March 3.

"The public debate has two objectives, says Chairman of the Committee of Penly, Didier HWI, who is also Director of the regional agency for the Pyrenees environment." "The first is to provide information the most variety as possible, and the second is to collect all of the opinion on the draft", very upstream. Formally, the debate occurs before the decision to build or not, a third reactor on the site of Penly. In the case of favourable decision, on the basis of the conclusions of the report, a public inquiry will be carried out. The issues of the debate will focus on the opportunity to build an EPR, its beneficial effects or adverse environmental, economic, natural, etc.

Participants will also want to know the identity of the actors of the project. Historically, this issue did not arise since it was France electricity and only managed this type of site. But this time it's different: GDF Suez claims a role of constructor and France nuclear operator. Last April, the Prime Minister said that EDF has own 50 more action in the capital of the society of project and GDF Suez, 33.3 more action. Since then, he is committed to recéder about 8 of the Total tanker. Remaining share 16.7 between the partners in the public electrical Italian Enel and German EON. Enel has a 12.5 option, but an idea is to give a same participation of 8 in each of the minority.

A clear governance

Another issue key, that of the operator. So far, it is EDF which has been designated as operator and owner with the CNDP. But GDF Suez argues with the public authorities to make it the project company that provides the operation, in which case the group chaired by Gérard Mestrallet would be recognized, also, as operator on the side of the operator. The nuclear safety authority is open to this possibility, from the time when the governance of the company is clear. But the question is eminently political. The CGT, very powerful in the energy, and who knows to be heard from the President of the Republic, is formally opposed to the arrival in France of another nuclear operator as EDF, is private. Theoretically, the State should be resolved to by the meeting of the CNDP on 3 March. Unless he decides to not decide...