Cattenom nuclear power station;
Credit: Greenpeace Luxembourg
On Friday 25 April 2025, the Administrative Court of Strasbourg ruled in favour of Greenpeace Luxembourg following an appeal for abuse of power and ordered Électricité de France (EDF) to disclose the information requested by the environmental NGO.
According to Greenpeace Luxembourg, the information concerns components manufactured at the Italian company Tectubi, specifying their destination and compliance with applicable standards and regulations. In addition, the electricity supplier has been ordered to pay €1,000 in legal costs, excluding other expenses.
In January 2023, Greenpeace Luxembourg sent a letter to EDF requesting further details regarding the use of spare parts manufactured in Italy, particularly for the Cattenom reactors, where stress corrosion cracking had been detected. According to the findings of an inspection by the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) in October 2022, which reviewed the manufacturing control of nuclear pressure equipment (ESPN), EDF-DI’s oversight practices showed several deficiencies and inspection gaps. This inspection was conducted at an Italian plant that produced replacement parts for the safety injection (RIS) and shutdown cooling (RRA) systems.
Following EDF’s refusal to provide the requested information, citing business confidentiality, and despite a favourable opinion from the Commission for Access to Administrative Documents (CADA), Greenpeace Luxembourg filed an appeal with the Administrative Court of Strasbourg in July 2023, according to a statement from the NGO.
Roger Spautz, Nuclear Campaigner for Greenpeace Luxembourg and France, commented: "This decision by the administrative court is an important victory for transparency and nuclear safety. EDF cannot continue to withhold crucial information concerning reactor safety, particularly when issues such as stress corrosion cracking are involved. We call on EDF to fully comply with its transparency obligations and to prioritise the safety of citizens. Greenpeace Luxembourg will continue to advocate for a safer and more transparent energy future."
