French court scraps nuclear plant dismantling decree

PARIS, June 6 (Reuters) France's highest administrative court today scrapped a decree authorising power utility EDF to dismantle its first nuclear reactor, citing a procedural irregularity.

EDF, which had planned to start dismantling the heart of its Brennilis reactor soon, said it noted the court's ruling and would comply.

The state-owned company said it will now have to apply again for authorisation to proceed with the decommissioning of the plant in Brittany.

France is Europe's nuclear champion with 58 reactors that provide around 80 per cent of the country's power needs.

French anti-nuclear group ''Sortir du Nucleaire'' had launched legal action to revoke the decree in April 2006, accusing EDF of having failed to conduct a public enquiry on the impact of dismantling the reactor.

The group, which has 15,000 members, said that overturning the decree did not challenge the need to dismantle the reactor but it wanted to ensure EDF would not botch the operation.

EDF plans to dismantle nine of its oldest nuclear reactors in the next 25 years at a cost of 2.8 billion dollars, excluding nuclear waste treatment.

France's nuclear authorities see the work on the Brennilis reactor as a shop window for French expertise.

''The Brennilis dismantling will give us the opportunity to show our know-how in this sector,'' an EDF spokeswoman said.

Reuters AM DB2324