The tension around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, the phase out of Russian energy imports, and the subsequently rising energy prices highlight a structural weakness in the European Union’s energy system: a supply chain subjected to continued exposure to external shocks.
When geopolitical disruption affects major oil and gas routes, the impact is felt in Europe almost immediately through higher import costs, price volatility and renewed pressure on industrial competitiveness. This reflects the extent to which European energy security still depends on supply chains and transit routes beyond the Union’s control, making Europe highly exposed.
SMRs have the potential to be a strategic, continuous source for low-carbon energy and heating, complementary to the green transition. Are we prepared to develop an additional option that could strengthen the EU’s energy security, industrial decarbonisation and long-term resilience, or do we let strategic caution become strategic paralysis?