nucleareurope discusses nuclear investment plans, public perception at Eurad-2 Annual Event

On 9 September 2026, nucleareurope Legal & International Relations Director Berta Picamal participated in the European Partnership on Radioactive Waste Management (Eurad-2) Annual Event, held in Dublin from 8 to 10 September.

As part of the event, Berta gave a speech on the contributions of nuclear to the EU’s economy, and evolutions of its perception across member States and EU institutions. She first highlighted the role of nuclear for decarbonisation, noting that nuclear is currently the largest single source of net-zero electricity in the EU.

“Thanks to the winning combination of nuclear and renewables, above 70% of the electricity production in the European Union is now low carbon. But we have to keep in mind that with an increased need for electricity, this contribution will also have to increase.” highlighted Berta, adding that significant investments in nuclear are planned across the EU.

Berta stressed that investments in both large and small nuclear new build will be necessary, along with long-term operation of existing facilities. She further noted that according to current projections, installed nuclear capacity in the EU could go from around 100 Gigawatt (GW) today to close to 150GW by 2050.

Concluding her intervention, Berta gave an overview of recent political evolutions on nuclear in the EU: she highlighted an increase in positive public perception of nuclear in many member States, and a clear shift towards the inclusion of nuclear in national energy plans. Whilst she also welcomed a positive shift in EU policy, she called for full technology neutrality in upcoming EU policy files, citing for example the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034 or the post-2030 Climate Framework.