Foratom's Director General Santiago San Antonio: «Nuclear energy can be considered part of the overall solution to the climate change problem…»

Director General, you are just about to complete your first year at the helm of FORATOM. In your personal view, what has been the most promising political process or event to take place during that time?

That's correct. I took over as Director General of FORATOM on July 1, 2006. The first thing that I found was a group of young, highly-qualified people doing an excellent job with enthusiasm and professionalism. The main ongoing challenge when I took over was addressing the concern of the European Commission with regards to climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, CO₂ reductions etc. Another challenge that dominated the agenda was the issue of Europe's high - and rising - dependence upon fuel imports (mainly oil and gas) from third countries - a problem that raised the key question of how the EU can guarantee the security of its energy supply. In response, FORATOM intensified its contacts with officials at the highest level at the European Commission and the European Parliament. We urged them to recognise that nuclear energy is part of the solution to these problems and to afford it equal consideration to that given to other energy sources, including renewables. All these actions, which are part of a long-term process, have culminated in the establishment of a High Level Group on Safety and Waste and, for the first time, a European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF). This Forum will start sometime in the autumn and will discuss nuclear energy issues in general with the full backing of the European Commission. In my view, this has been the most promising political development during my first year in charge at FORATOM.

FORATOM is the trade association representing the nuclear industry in Europe. Is the industry ready for the nuclear renaissance that has been triggered by the new Member States? What are the pitfalls to be avoided and the obstacles to overcome?

Absolutely, yes! The European nuclear industry is ready. The renaissance has already begun with new build projects underway in countries like Finland (with the building of the EPR at Olkiluoto), France (the EPR at Flamanville), Romania (Cernavoda NPP), Bulgaria (Belene) etc. The new reactor technology is available and in some countries the business environment is now more positive than before for the future of nuclear power plants. The political environment too is changing rapidly and we will see many more plants being built across Europe. The main barriers that we have to overcome are public opinion and the question of waste management, but we have very good examples to highlight here, for example in Finland, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and the UK etc.

The main obstacle to overcome from my point of view will not be the manufacturing of special heavy equipment because the NSSS are taking the necessary steps here through the reaching of agreements and through co-operation with other companies. Instead, the main constraint will be the availability of qualified professionals to design, build, test and operate the new facilities. I am confident that the industry's support for universities and research institutes will help generate the necessary human resources.

In addition, the industry will play a more active role in international discussions on climate change - especially as the EU's recent official acknowledgement of nuclear energy's key role as a carbon-free energy source has given the industry a mandate to play a more pro-active role in the UNFCCC's Conference of the Parties (COP/MOP) global international negotiations on reducing CO₂ emissions.

As you said on the occasion of the publication of the IPCC report in May, the nuclear industry will play a more active role in international discussions on climate change. Could you elaborate a little bit what the industry's role here is likely to be in the years to come?

The IPCC endorsed the fact that nuclear power plants do not emit any greenhouse gases. As a result, nuclear energy can be considered a mechanism for reducing CO₂ emissions and part of the overall solution to the climate change problem.

For political reasons, nuclear power and hydro power have consistently been viewed as the bad guys at past COP/MOP meetings. Today, nuclear power is considered one of a number of important energy sources for the future.

FORATOM brings together representatives from countries that have differing policies and wide-ranging interests when it comes to nuclear power. What are, in general terms, the challenges that this poses to FORATOM's lobbying activities in Brussels and what are the recent lobbying success stories that it has achieved?

The main challenge we face is to ensure that the whole European nuclear industry maintains a common position when discussing the key issues with the European Commission and the European Parliament. This is no easy task considering that our members include all EU countries with nuclear power plants plus Switzerland. The interests from country to country vary fundamentally and can at times be contradictory. As I recall our members used to take part in the large number of Core Groups, Working Groups, Task Forces and Ad-hoc Groups that focused on key issues. This proved quite a headache to manage and co-ordinate. We had been reviewing the current Task Force structure and, on 15 June, a new Task Force system based on two Steering Groups - one on Nuclear Policy and the other on Energy Strategy - came into being. Now, no more than eight streamlined Task Forces report to each Steering Group. This new system will be instrumental in defining the position of the European nuclear industry in the forthcoming European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF).

Switzerland is not a member of the EU, but it has a long and successful track record when it comes to developing the peaceful use of nuclear power. What can Switzerland contribute to a European Energy Strategy?

In addition to being one of FORATOM's most active members over the years, Switzerland has shown us on a number of occasions how to successfully manage situations that can have both a positive and negative impact upon our business and upon nuclear energy's reputation. I still remember a Swiss initiative entitled «Come and see our nuclear plants» that I successfully copied in Spain. Politically-speaking, Switzerland has recently taken steps to solve the issue of its waste management and launched successful initiatives through the Swiss Nuclear Forum. Finally, we should not forget the pivotal international political role that Switzerland plays thanks to its good relations with countries like the Ukraine and Russia.

A number of opinion polls, like the European Commission's Eurobarometer surveys, have shown that people's perceptions of nuclear energy are still largely driven by fears. What is FORATOM doing to change this perception and to get people to see nuclear energy for what it is - a reliable and sustained energy source that helps Europe to meet its energy needs?

To be realistic, there is not much that we can do to change the entrenched perceptions of more than 300 million Europeans. We have to rely upon the national nuclear fora to help redress the situation in their country. However, we are doing things to help bring about a change in public opinion towards nuclear. For example, we are co-operating with institutions and universities to identify what the «real» perception of the public is because the answers obtained from surveys are very much influenced by the way in which the questions are phrased. Within this context, we recently published a brochure on public opinion that can be found on our website and we are co-operating with King's College (University of London, UK) in an in-depth analysis of public perceptions towards nuclear energy. We are also doing our best to bring some influence to bear upon how the European Commission phrases the questions in future Eurobarometer surveys relating to public opinion and nuclear energy.

In conclusion, I would just like to thank the Swiss Nuclear Forum for all the hard work that it is doing to promote nuclear energy and for its active support as a member of FORATOM. Long may that relationship continue! Thank you also for giving me the opportunity to express my views to your readers on the current and future challenges facing the European nuclear industry. I have no doubt that Switzerland will continue to play a leading role in helping us to meet those challenges.

Propos recueillis par Roland Bilang

Santiago San Antonio a suivi des études d'ingénieur en économie à Madrid. Il a par ailleurs obtenu un master en gestion d'entreprise (Master in Business Administration) et est titulaire d'une licence de chef opérateur de réacteurs à eau sous pression. Il a commencé sa carrière en 1972 chez Tecnatom S.A., une entreprise de services espagnole engagée dans la technologie de simulation et de sûreté pour centrales électriques. Il a en outre participé à la création de la World Association of Nuclear Operators (Wano). En juillet 1997, Santiago San Antonio a été nommé directeur général du Foro de la Industria Nuclear Española et vice-président de Foratom. Il est directeur général de Foratom depuis juillet 2006 et secrétaire général de l'ENS (European Nuclear Society)

Foratom

Foratom (Forum atomique européen) est l'organisation qui chapeaute les forums atomiques européens avec siège à Bruxelles. Porte-parole de l'industrie nucléaire, cette organisation, dont l'objectif principal est de promouvoir l'énergie nucléaire, permet l'échange d'informations entre les milieux industriels et les institutions politiques de l'UE. Ses membres représentent les sociétés nucléaires nationales de 17 pays; le Forum nucléaire suisse en fait partie. Foratom représente de surcroît près de 800 sociétés, dont quelques-uns des groupes énergétiques les plus importants d'Europe.