ATHENS, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Tuesday that Greece should explore the potential role of nuclear energy in its future energy mix, according to Greece's public broadcaster Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT).
Speaking in Paris at the second summit on nuclear energy and its civilian use, Mitsotakis said Greece is "turning the page" and should examine whether small modular reactors could help meet future electricity demand. Representatives from 41 countries and several international organizations attended the meeting.
He noted that electricity demand is expected to increase in the coming years and that renewable energy alone may not be enough to meet the country's needs.
Mitsotakis announced that Greece will set up a special inter-ministerial committee to study whether nuclear power could play a role in the country's energy transition.
He also said it would be difficult to achieve both energy independence and decarbonization without nuclear power. The prime minister praised France for its decision to develop nuclear energy and said Europe had made a strategic mistake by not following a similar path earlier.
Mitsotakis acknowledged that public opinion on nuclear energy remains divided and called for open discussion. He also pointed to challenges in Europe's nuclear sector, including complex regulations, high costs and a shortage of experts.
Nuclear energy could also have potential applications in shipping and should be considered as part of the solution to future energy challenges, he added. ■