EU Chief Says Reducing Nuclear Power Was a Strategic Mistake

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned that Europe’s decision to reduce nuclear energy capacity was a “strategic mistake,” arguing that it increased the region’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. Speaking at a nuclear energy summit in Paris, she said nuclear power remains a reliable and low-emissions source of electricity that could strengthen Europe’s energy security.

Von der Leyen noted that nuclear energy accounted for roughly one-third of Europe’s electricity generation in 1990 but has since fallen to about 15%. The decline has contributed to a greater reliance on oil and gas imports, leaving the region more exposed to volatile energy markets and geopolitical disruptions.

The remarks come as European governments continue to balance climate goals with energy security. While renewable energy capacity has expanded rapidly across the EU, fossil fuels still play a major role in sectors such as heating and transport, highlighting the challenges of transitioning to a low-carbon energy system.

Von der Leyen also indicated that the European Commission is exploring ways to support innovation in nuclear technologies, including a €200 million investment guarantee funded through the EU carbon market. However, nuclear policy remains divisive within the EU, with some countries backing expansion while others continue to oppose it.

The framing of European nuclear-capacity decline (33 percent of electricity in 1990 → 15 percent today) as strategic mistake - combined with the €200 million Investment Guarantee for innovative nuclear technologies - signals substantive Commission-level reconsideration of nuclear's role in EU energy strategy. Von der Leyen's positioning reflects growing pragmatic recognition that renewable-only pathways face significant delivery challenges.

The intra-EU divisions remain material. Germany, Austria and other historical anti-nuclear economies retain policy commitments that would require reversal to support meaningful nuclear expansion. France, Poland, Czech Republic and others maintain pro-nuclear positioning. Commission-level advocacy shifts the debate but does not resolve underlying member-state divisions.

For nuclear technology providers, engineering companies, financial institutions supporting European clean-energy investment and their industrial and utility partners, Cognitud's energy transition, market intelligence and responsible investment teams help clients evaluate opportunities under evolving EU nuclear policy, structure long-term investment cases aligned with different member-state trajectories, and prepare disclosures aligned with EU taxonomy, CSRD and ISSB expectations.