France to close oldest nuclear plant end-2016: Hollande

Friday, September 14, 2012

(Reuters) - France will close its oldest nuclear power plant, Fessenheim, at the end of 2016, President Francois Hollande said on Friday, bringing the closure date forward by a few months.

"The Fessenheim power plant ... will close at the end of 2016, Hollande said, speaking a few days after a steam leak triggered a brief fire alert at Fessenheim, in eastern France, and following another safety alert earlier in the year.

Hollande, addressing an annual environmental conference, also confirmed his goal to cut the share of nuclear power in the country's energy mix to 50 percent by 2025 from 75 percent at present.

Posted in |