Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced at a nuclear energy summit in Paris that Greece is preparing to evaluate whether nuclear power could play a role in its long-term energy mix. The initiative comes amid rising energy costs in Europe, fueled by geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
According to PM Mitsotakis, the Greek Government plans to establish a high-level ministerial committee tasked with assessing the potential role of new-generation reactors, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs), in the country’s electricity system. The committee will examine whether these technologies could contribute to Greece’s future energy supply and provide a formal recommendation to the Government.
The Prime Minister noted that advances in nuclear technology and the growing electricity demand are prompting countries to reconsider their energy strategies. Even with significant expansion of renewable sources, he said that electricity systems still require reliable baseload generation capable of continuous operation. In his view, nuclear energy is among the few technologies able to deliver stable electricity production at that scale.
PM Mitsotakis acknowledged that the topic remains sensitive in Greece, where public opinion on nuclear power is divided. He stressed that any potential shift toward nuclear energy would require open and balanced discussion, free from ideological bias, to properly assess the benefits and risks of the technology.
He also criticized what he described as Europe’s past decision to move away from nuclear energy, arguing that the continent lost a major source of low-emission electricity. Over the last two decades, nuclear power generation in the EU has fallen by roughly 276 TWh, whereas the EU’s entire solar output reached about 254 TWh in 2023, illustrating the difficulty of replacing lost nuclear generation with solar alone.
Despite this trend, PM Mitsotakis noted that nuclear energy is regaining attention across Europe. Countries with existing nuclear plants are planning fleet expansions, while others that previously abandoned the technology are reconsidering their positions.
Mitsotakis emphasized that Greece intends to actively participate in discussions about nuclear solutions for both energy production and maritime transport. While no final decision has been made regarding nuclear facilities, the Government believes that all options should be carefully evaluated in light of geopolitical uncertainty and rising electricity demand.
