French election rivals trip up on statistics

PARIS, May 3 (Reuters) Sparring presidential candidates vied to show off their superior knowledge of detailed nuclear energy statistics in a televised French election debate -- and both ended with egg on their faces.

Socialist Segolene Royal challenged conservative Nicolas Sarkozy twice to say how much of France's electricity needs were supplied by its large network of nuclear power stations.

''Half of our electricity is of nuclear origin,'' Sarkozy replied.

''No. Seventeen percent only,'' Royal said.

''No, Madame. That is not correct,'' insisted Sarkozy.

Both candidates were wrong, with 78 percent of France's electricity supplied by its nuclear reactors, according to French Finance Ministry statistics.

The skirmish typified a debate marked by repeated attempts to gain the upper hand in an increasingly ill-tempered confrontation ahead of a decisive run-off election on May 6.

Sarkozy, a former finance minister, was closer to the real figure but still wide of the mark, while Royal appeared to be trying to refer to the share of nuclear power in total energy consumption in France once all energy sources are combined.

Royal fared better when testing Sarkozy on the next generation of nuclear power stations, EPR, which she wants suspended pending increased use of renewable energy.

''The EPR is the prototype of which generation?,'' Royal inquired.

''It's not a prototype, it's the fourth generation,'' said Sarkozy.

''No, it's the third generation. You have a very rough and ready approach to a subject that is very technical but also very serious, because we're talking about nuclear energy. So, you have just made a string of errors. That can happen.'' France says it has among the cheapest electricity prices in Europe due to its heavy reliance on nuclear power.

REUTERS DH BST0441