Only a combination of nuclear energy and renewable sources will bring energy security to the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said at the opening of the European Nuclear Forum.
A resilient energy system in the country cannot do without a stable energy source with low carbon emissions, and that is nuclear, he added.
According to Fiala, Europe is in an energy crisis linked to geopolitical pressure, the likes of which it has not experienced in decades. Russia is the direct culprit, but the region is also indirectly to blame for underestimating its energy security, the prime minister said.
A critical shortage of energy on the continent would threaten security, independence, prosperity, economic growth, and plans to transition to a more sustainable and cleaner economy, he warned.
In the search for a solution, Europe must not compromise on its principles, but the situation requires a significant reassessment of energy policy, Fiala believes. First of all, he considers it essential to think better about the basic issues of energy security.
“Neither the European Union nor any European state can afford to depend on any third party in the future. European energy sovereignty must become our main goal,” he said. At the same time, he believes it is necessary to ensure that energy sources are as clean as possible.
“We already face the decision regarding high-demand industrial production and what industries will be strategic to keep in Europe, as the world remains unstable and global chains can easily break, as we have seen in the past two years,” noted Fiala.
According to him, renewable sources can cover more and more demand in the future, but they are not yet stable enough to cover all energy demand in countries like Czechia. According to Fiala, the conditions for solar, wind, water, or even geothermal energy are not as ideal in the Czech Republic as in some other countries, and he therefore considers a combination of renewable resources to be essential.
