EU plans to draft new nuclear safety standards

The energy chief of the European Union says new safety standards for nuclear power plants in the region should be drafted in October or November.

EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger made the comment in an interview with NHK on Thursday, ahead of the anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear accident.

He referred to ongoing safety tests that cover emergency situations, including natural disasters and airplane crashes, at all 143 nuclear plants in the EU region.Oettinger said the test results should be released in June. He added the EU members have differing nuclear policies, such as Germany deciding to abandon nuclear power altogether while others are building new plants. But he stressed that they agree on the need to create European standards to strengthen nuclear safety. Oettinger plans to visit Japan in June to discuss nuclear safety and energy policies.
Media agencies