With regard to the recent imperatives to counter global warming and secure energy supplies, what role can you see nuclear playing? 
As an energy that is domestically generated, competitive and constantly available in large quantities, nuclear contributes to securing supplies in a world where resources are scarce. It’s also a technology in constant development that’s becoming safer and safer. Plus it’s being opened up to society. In the nuclear sector, Areva provides its customers with integrated products and services to allow them to build and sustainably operate their reactors. We also process and recycle spent fuels. The end-of-cycle debate continues, but solutions do exist. Waste management shouldn’t be taboo. We need to explain, as much and as clearly as possible, that every form of energy presents pros and cons. The dangers are different today and tell us more than ever that a reasonable and pragmatic approach is required.

Doesn’t government stance on nuclear vary greatly around the world and, indeed, within Europe?
Nuclear renaissance is a worldwide phenomenon. There are nearly 30 reactors currently being built in 12 countries, essentially China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, where the call for electricity is sharply on the rise. The phenomenon also affects the United States, where there are plans to add a further 20 reactors to the 103 already in operation there. Areva is in the running thanks to its alliance with energy company Constellation Energy. The motivations are the same wherever you look: growing electricity demand, the desire for energy independence, the need to be competitive and the problem of climate change.
Within the European Union, there are contrasts. Nuclear power is the No. 1 source of electricity production to the tune of 35%. Some Member States, like Germany, have taken political steps to phase out nuclear power but have made no progress on alternative strategies. Contrary to these isolated cases, many countries have revived their investment in nuclear. Areva is building the first third-generation reactor in Finland— the EPR — and the second is slated for France at the Flamanville site. The UK also recently opted for a significant shift towards nuclear energy.

The social acceptability of nuclear is still a much-discussed issue. What advances have been achieved with regard to plant security and waste treatment?  
Nuclear –a still recent and constantly-evolving technology– continues to fuel anxiety. The only way to get round this regrettable paradox is to develop transparency, which I started when I arrived at the head of Areva. Now, thanks to our openness and educational initiatives, the activity has really opened up for wider discussion. The question of waste, not without its solutions, preoccupies public opinion. This merits a non-dogmatic approach. It’s wrong to let people think we’re going to be overrun with unmanageable volumes of radioactive waste. The total sum of highly radioactive waste produced by French electronuclear activity over the past 50 years can fit into a factory hall. And by recycling used fuel we economise on other materials and significantly reduce the volume and toxicity of tailings. The minuscule non-recoverable proportion, about 3%, is conditioned safely and stably before being stored in secure installations. France adopted comprehensive legislation on the issue, which is now held up as a reference worldwide. The example set by our country demonstrates that concrete, positive solutions to a sensitive problem are available.

How abundant are uranium reserves? How are they distributed?
Working reactors consumed 67,000 tonnes of uranium in 2005. At this rate, current reserves will power installations worldwide for a further 70 years. This is a rather conservative estimate, however, when you bear in mind the emergence of new generation reactors that consume less and the renewed efforts of geological exploration, which should drastically increase this figure. Plus spent fuel can be recycled. Providing long-term secure access to the raw material is critical for our customers, and something that Areva guarantees through its mines and its complete approach to managing the uranium-to-fuel conversion process and recycling.

In Europe, what will the impact of opening up electricity markets be on the development of nuclear power? 
The example of Finland or Sweden, two already open national markets, shows that the impact on nuclear is a positive one. If you integrate all external costs, nuclear energy offers a stable and competitive kilowatt-hour, giving economies that turn to it a significant advantage, especially when compared to coal or natural gas, and even more so when you consider that power-intensive industries, very present in Europe, are important drivers of employment, economic growth, research and innovation. Fluctuating hydrocarbon costs and the creation of a CO₂ market will only bolster these benefits.

What new applications for nuclear energy could we imagine in the future?
The objective is for future generation reactors to recycle their own waste. Some could continue to produce electricity and use their primary heat for other uses. Hydrogen is attracting a lot of interest; it’s a niche that Very High Temperature Reactors are looking to fill. Civil nuclear energy is most certainly a technology with a future.