However, the exact date when this large giant will start providing electricity to France's grid is uncertain. The construction is significantly delayed by ten years and costs have exceeded the budget by 12 billion euros. The initial plans to begin operations this year have been postponed once more, now set for 2024. The issues faced at Flamanville are not isolated incidents, as Finland's latest nuclear power plant, which recently began operating, was originally scheduled to be finished in 2009. As President Vladimir Putin's conflict in Ukraine prompts Europe to reduce its reliance on Russian natural gas and oil, nuclear power is becoming more prominent as a source of domestic energy and stable electricity. Advocates believe that nuclear energy could help address Europe's impending energy shortage, especially as the continent shifts towards renewable technologies like solar and wind power to meet ambitious climate targets. The invasion by Putin has reshaped Europe's energy security considerations, according to Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, who predicts that nuclear energy may become more prevalent in response to energy insecurity. However, there are obstacles to realizing a nuclear resurgence, as the search for alternatives to Russian fuel has intensified a political divide in Europe over nuclear power. While pro-nuclear countries like France advocate for expanding nuclear power, others like Germany fear the risks associated with radioactive waste. The recent European Commission plan to decrease reliance on Russia did not include nuclear power as one of the energy sources to be considered. The challenges faced by the Flamanville-3 project, including delays and cost overruns, are representative of the broader technical, logistical, and cost issues in expanding nuclear power. Nuclear power currently accounts for a quarter of all electricity in the EU, with France producing over half from its aging fleet. Plans for up to 13 new-generation nuclear reactors in France, using a different design, will not be completed until at least 2035, too late to address the current energy crisis. Britain has plans for eight new nuclear plants, but the reality is not as optimistic. Five of the current six reactors are set to be retired in the next ten years due to age. Only one new nuclear station, being built in Hinkley Point, is currently under construction. Other projects in Eastern Europe are not expected to be completed before 2030. According to Jonathan Stern from the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, nuclear projects take at least 10 years to complete. He said the main issue is finding a way to stop using Russian gas, and this needs to be done now, rather than waiting for a decade until more nuclear reactors are built. Supporters of nuclear power believe it can be a solution if there is enough political support. Belgium's government, along with the Green party, decided to extend the life of two reactors for another ten years instead of phasing out nuclear energy by 2025, in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine. This decision will help Belgium reduce its reliance on Russian gas by expanding renewable energy sources like wind and solar power to meet European climate targets by 2035. Belgium's energy minister, Tinne Van der Straeten, said the invasion of Ukraine changed their perspective and led to this policy reversal. "We aimed to decrease our imports from Russia." However, in Germany, which relies heavily on Russian gas and coal, the suggestion of using nuclear power to address an energy shortage does not seem to be gaining traction. Germany is set to shut down its last three nuclear plants by the end of the year as part of a plan to phase out all 17 reactors following the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Some major energy companies in Germany are willing to delay the closure of nuclear plants to reduce reliance on Russia, but the Green party, part of the governing coalition, opposes this idea. Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that Germany is committed to phasing out nuclear power and delaying the process is not a viable solution. Additionally, other countries that view nuclear power as a valuable option face numerous challenges. Mark Hibbs, a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, emphasized that President Emmanuel Macron's ambitious plans for a nuclear power resurgence in France will not happen quickly. The estimated cost of implementing new-generation atomic reactors is 50 billion euros, a price tag that other European countries may not be able to afford. The industry also faces the challenge of training a new generation of nuclear power engineers, which will further delay the process. Meanwhile, France's aging reactors, originally built to ensure energy independence in the aftermath of the 1970s oil crisis, are currently undergoing safety inspections, hindering their ability to alleviate a Russian energy shortage. She stated that nuclear production in France will decrease this year unless a magical solution is found, but there is no such solution. However, Moscow's aggression may help reverse the industry's gradual decline. Recently, there have been positive declarations, such as Britain's plan to expand its nuclear capacity and the Netherlands' intention to build two additional reactors to complement other forms of energy. In Eastern Europe, countries near Russia have been planning to construct multiple nuclear reactors, a decision that now seems wise following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. NuScale Power, an Oregon-based company, is promoting a new reactor design that they believe will be more cost-effective and faster to build because key components will be manufactured in factories. The company has made initial agreements in Romania and Poland, with Russia's invasion leading to an increased interest in nuclear energy as part of the overall energy mix for customers. Nuclearelectrica, the Romanian power company, is moving forward with plans for a NuScale plant and two Canadian reactors, in response to the need to enhance energy security following the Ukraine crisis. Meike Becker, a utilities analyst at Bernstein, predicts that in the long term, Russia's war will likely support the European goal of achieving greater energy independence. Text = Copyright 2022 by The New York Times Company.