CATF’s Recommendations for the PINC Update: A New Vision for EU Nuclear Leadership

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that the EU must update its Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC) to better support nuclear energy through technology-neutral state aid, streamlined regulatory frameworks for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and strengthened domestic fuel supply chains to reduce reliance on Russia.

• CATF recommends that the EU align state aid rules with technology neutrality to ensure nuclear projects are eligible for support, noting that while rules were loosened in 2023 for some clean technologies, "nuclear energy was not included".
• The EU faces significant challenges in nuclear deployment, including a lack of market incentives for capital-intensive projects, workforce shortages, and a heavy reliance on Russia for fuel, with "30% of enriched uranium comes from Russia".
• To regain leadership in advanced nuclear technology, CATF proposes a pan-European regulatory framework for SMRs to avoid "regulatory fragmentation" and enable "standardised fleet deployment across the EU bloc".
• Long-Term Operation (LTO) of existing reactors is identified as the most economical way to maintain dispatchable capacity, with estimated investment needs of "€45–50 billion in investment by 2040 to maintain EU 95-105 GWs capacity".
• The document suggests that the EU's installed nuclear capacity could reach approximately 150 GW by 2050, with 37% coming from new large reactors and 33% from SMRs.
• CATF urges the EU to strengthen domestic fuel value chains and diversify suppliers, specifically for the 19 VVER reactors in the EU that "depend on fuel (and services) provided by Russian state-owned entities".

APA

Clean Air Task Force (2025). CATF’s Recommendations for the PINC Update: A New Vision for EU Nuclear Leadership. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/11121259/CATFs-Recommendations-for-the-PINC-Update.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. CATF’s Recommendations for the PINC Update: A New Vision for EU Nuclear Leadership. 2025. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/11121259/CATFs-Recommendations-for-the-PINC-Update.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=CATF’s Recommendations for the PINC Update: A New Vision for EU Nuclear Leadership |date=May 2025 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/11121259/CATFs-Recommendations-for-the-PINC-Update.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforce2025catfs, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{CATF’s Recommendations for the PINC Update: A New Vision for EU Nuclear Leadership}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2025}, month = may, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/11121259/CATFs-Recommendations-for-the-PINC-Update.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }